


The Song in My Heart

by The_Wandering_Quill



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Theatre, Elsanna - Freeform, Elsanna is endgame, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Musicals, Phantom of the Opera inspired, Possibly angst, blind trust, character deaths later, minor Hanna, minor time travel in much later chapters, much later, one-sided Kristanna, tech crew, techies make awesome wingmen just saying, things get complicated later, unrelated, will have a happy ending I promise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2015-03-12
Packaged: 2018-03-11 06:33:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 55,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3317558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Wandering_Quill/pseuds/The_Wandering_Quill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The tech crew has a secret...and unfortunately for them, it will only be a matter of time before Anna's ever-growing curiosity leads to the truth. But for now, she'll have to make do with singing lessons from a mysterious tutor and rehearsing for their next musical. Elsa, while surrounded by supportive friends, protectors hidden in the shadows, and a guardian she trusts unconditionally, wishes to reconnect with a certain redhead after 8 years apart. Unfortunately, the disastrous events from her freshman year still lurk at the back of her mind, and her heart aches to share her voice with the world...</p><p>And quietly, in the shadows, a danger that ravaged Arendelle 100 years ago begins to awaken. A danger that might have found its roots even further back, with a crown, a cane, and a sacrifice...</p><p>Modern AU, Elsanna, kinda slowburn-ish?</p><p>(Also on FFnet, but also posted here in case Critics United comes after me)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> The summary won't come into play until later. Sorry. I have to do some world-building/setting up first before we can get into Anna's theatre escapades.

_Prologue_

**-x-x-x-**

" _Let me go, and I will run,  
I will not be silent."_

* * *

 

An energetic eight-year-old ran through the park, her fiery hair a stark contrast to the freshly powdered snow all around her. She giggled in absolute delight, throwing her mitten-clad hands in the air as snowflakes tickled her nose and kissed her cheeks with all the tenderness of a doting parent. The girl stuck her tongue out as she spun through the snow, and burst into a fit of giggles every time she managed to catch a snowflake. When her short legs grew tired, she unceremoniously flopped onto the ground, lying on her back as teal eyes gazed up at the sky with unbridled wonder.

For as long as Anna could remember, winter was her favorite season.

There was just something about playing in the snow—building snowmen, throwing snowballs, making forts or castles, tasting the snowflakes—that she couldn't seem to get enough of. The cold nipped at her cheeks and nose in a strangely pleasant sort of way, and the snow and the ice and the snowflakes were just all so—

"So pretty…"

The redhead giggled, holding her hands up to her mouth as she quickly stood back up, ignoring the clumps of snow that clung to the back of her green winter jacket like puffy white burrs. Anna turned her head in the direction she had come from, only to find another girl strolling along a nearby path. The black headband stood out in her platinum blonde hair, which ended in a simple braid down her back, and she was dressed only in a blue sweater that seemed too light for the cold season, white pants, and black boots. Her eyes were closed as she hummed a song under her breath, and Anna couldn't help but note how pretty the content smile on her face was.

"Hi!" the redhead called out as she hurriedly ran over to meet her, nearly tripping in the process and kicking up clumps of snow behind her.

The girl gave a small start, immediately stopping in her tracks and opening her eyes to reveal the prettiest shade of blue eight-year-old Anna had ever seen. She blinked in surprise, the smile she offered hesitant as the redhead came to a stop in front of her. Anna tried not to pout as she realized that the girl was at least an inch or two taller than her.

"Hello."

_Whoa! Even her voice is pretty!_

"My name's Anna!" the redhead said, unable to stop the large grin that formed on her face. "Do you like the snow, too? It's so pretty, just like your song…and your smile!"

The girl blinked again, her mouth parting slightly. Anna's grin quickly slid off her face as she realized the inadvertent slip in her words. Cheeks growing warm in embarrassment, she fiddled with her mittens as she averted her gaze, hoping she hadn't scared the girl off and lost a potential playmate. "Um…N-Not that I was listening to you singing, or anything. You just…happened to be there, and I was playing in the snow, and I had all these thoughts about how pretty the snowflakes are, and—"

"They  _are_  beautiful, aren't they?"

_Wait, what?_

Teal eyes hesitantly looked up to meet an amused, icy blue. The girl's smile seemed more assured and friendly as she held out her hand. "My name is Elsa…and I  _love_  the snow."

Without hesitation, Anna's grin returned in full force as she shook the platinum blonde's hand, noting belatedly that the girl wasn't wearing any gloves, scarf, or hat. Didn't she feel cold? "Me too! But you know that already…and yeah, snowflakes are so small, and they melt so easily, but they're so  _pretty_ …How could anyone  _not_  like them?"

Elsa giggled, casting her gaze skyward as the snowflakes seemed to increase around them; that content smile forming on her face again. Anna felt the urge to go for another run in the snow and nearly bounced with excitement when the platinum blonde looked back at her, smiling mischievously as if she had just read her mind.

"First one to the fountain gets to build a snowman!"

And with that sudden declaration, Anna was left for a second to stare at the platinum blonde braid swinging back and forth as its owner pelted across the snow with all the ease of a snow leopard. Her short legs immediately jerked into motion as she ran after Elsa, laughing as the snowflakes swirled all around the two, as if to join in their delight. Anna didn't make it to the fountain in the center of the park first, but she  _did_  end up tackling the platinum blonde into the snow—partly to sabotage the race, and partly because there was a big enough pile nearby to jump into.

"Hey! That's cheating!"

"Only 'cause you're a stinker who didn't count to three!"

Anna laughed as she rolled off the pile, having been playfully pushed by Elsa. Snowflakes clung to her eyelashes as she looked up, grinning at the sight of the other girl towering over her with snow in her hair, and all over her blue sweater.

"Hey…how old are you, Elsa? You look really tall from here."

"Everyone looks tall if you're lying down, silly," Elsa said, giggling as she knelt down to poke her forehead. "And for your information, I'm eight."

The redhead playfully batted her hand aside, sticking her tongue out. "For  _your_  information, I'm eight, too!"

"Really?" The taller girl smirked, causing Anna's cheeks to warm up again. "You look a lot younger than that. Are you sure you're not seven? Or six?"

 _Why you…!_  Anna tried to frown at her, but from her position, it seemed more like a goofy upside down smile, earning another giggle from Elsa. Noticing yet again how bare the girl's hand was as she held it to her mouth to hide a smile, the redhead furrowed her brow curiously. "Arentcha a little cold? 'Cause I'm sure I got snow inside my jacket and it's super cold to me!"

As if reminded of their little tumble moments ago, Elsa casually brushed the snow out of her hair and sweater, her icy blue eyes dancing with a mischievous light. "The cold doesn't bother me."

"Pffffffft…Liar. Everyone gets cold." Anna rolled to her side, and onto her hands and knees before she turned to the snow pile with a large grin on her face again, teal eyes darting over to meet Elsa's. "Do you wanna build a snowman? I think we have enough for a baby one."

The platinum blonde rolled her eyes, even as her lips twitched into a smile. "I thought the winner got to build the snowman."

"Ah, but there  _was_  no winner!"

"And whose fault was that?"

Anna stuck her tongue out as she started gathering the snow into a small, lumpy mound for the base. "Shut up and build a snowman with me, Elsa."

The taller girl giggled, reaching over to scoop more snow towards them. "Yes, ma'am."

They worked in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, packing the snow into a distinct shape. Normally, Anna could talk up a storm, but she was intent on making the best baby snowman she could from the small pile they had. So focused was the redhead on her work, that she didn't notice the snowflakes falling around them at a greater rate, as if to help by replenishing their dwindling supply of snow. Needless to say, she was surprised at the result when they finally stood back to admire their decently-sized snowman.

"I was going for a baby one, but this is nice too," Anna said, grinning proudly as she patted its head. They didn't have any sticks, coal, or carrots lying around, so they did their best with well-placed indents and bulges. It actually wasn't that bad of a snowman.

For some reason, Elsa furrowed her brow worriedly, her eyes not quite as bright as before when they were in the midst of building. "Anna, did you…did you want a different snowman?"

 _Why does she sound so afraid?_  Anna lazily wrapped her arms around the snowman, peeking around its head to fix the taller girl with a puzzled look. "What do you mean? We got to build a snowman together, didn't we?" She giggled, resting her cheek against the snow. "And it looks great!"

Elsa still looked unconvinced, frowning as she wrung her hands anxiously. "But…you wanted a different one, right?"

"Well, yeah. 'Cause there wasn't that much snow around," the redhead snorted, grinning again in the hopes of putting the platinum blonde at ease. "But since we got more of it than I thought, that doesn't matter now! What matters is what we should name it!"

"'Name it?'" the taller girl repeated, as if the thought had never occurred to her.

"Yeah! Like…like Oliver, or Joan, or Frosty, or Ola—"

"Gunther?"

The redhead blinked, looking at Elsa to see if she was being serious.

She was.

"…Gunther," Elsa repeated distantly, her gaze oddly aimed somewhere over Anna's left shoulder before blue eyes returned their attention to her, gleaming with amusement. "Unless you have a better idea?"

Anna playfully stuck her tongue out at that, earning a small giggle from the platinum blonde. She nuzzled into the snowman's head, tightening her arms around it protectively as she pouted. "We are  _not_  calling it Gunther! That name sucks, Elsa…Nevermind; we don't have to name this one."

"Hey, it's not like  _you_  were any better, silly," Elsa playfully jabbed back, stepping closer to lean her head against the snowman's in imitation of Anna. "Huh. This is actually pretty comfortable."

"Isn't it?" Anna mumbled with a sleepy grin on her face. "The snow's really soft this time…I like it."

"The first snowfall always is," Elsa murmured, definitely more relaxed than her weird state from earlier. "Aren't you cold, Anna?"

"Yeah…but it's a nice kind of cold, and so soft…" The redhead sighed contentedly. "I love you, snow…And you too, winter. You're awesome…Except when I get sick. Then I love you a little less."

Elsa smiled fondly, closing her eyes as she placed a hand atop the snowman's head to lean in further. "Winter is definitely my favorite season. Listening to the whispers of the ice and snow, and the singing of the snowflakes…it's simply enchanting."

"You're using big words, Elsa. Stop it," Anna mumbled in reply as the taller girl opened her eyes, revealing twin pools of an amused icy blue. "Maybe…Could you sing for me? Please?"

The platinum blonde blinked in surprise, causing Anna to duck her head, cheeks growing warm in embarrassment. "Your song was really pretty earlier. And since you were talking about the snowflakes, I thought—"

"I'd be happy to, Anna."

The redhead looked up in surprise, just in time to see Elsa step away from their snowman, trying to hide a big smile behind her ungloved hand. Her eyes were shining with sheer joy, and with so much life, just like when they were building earlier. Anna couldn't help a grin equally as big from forming on her face, her nerves tingling with anticipation to hear the platinum blonde's singing and  _not_  just the humming from earlier.

Elsa lowered her hand, and opened her mouth—

**_"…You."_ **

—only to have it snap shut again as both of their heads immediately turned in the direction of the ancient, gravelly voice.

An old man—actually, a  _very_  old man—dressed in a black coat stood on a path nearby, pointing a shaky, bony finger in their direction. His other hand gripped his walking cane as tightly as his age would allow, almost threatening to have his bones break free from their wrinkly prison with how violently it was shaking. His aged face was pulled into a hateful snarl so intense, Anna jerked away from their snowman, stumbling over to hide behind an equally frightened Elsa. From beneath the brim of his hat, dark eyes blazed with a fiery hatred and loathing—at odds with the cadaver-like paleness of his skin.

And that's when she noticed he was pointing directly at the platinum blonde in front of her.

 ** _"Spawn of that madman,"_**  the old man snarled, hobbling forward while the two girls took several hasty steps backward. "I'd recognize those damn eyes anywhere! Oh, my pap was  _very,_   _very_  descriptive about 'em! The ice that holds you fast, steals the life outta your breath, burns into your soul!"

He stopped just as Anna felt her back bump into the fountain's edge. She reached out to grip Elsa's sweater for comfort, but the taller girl immediately flinched the moment her mittens brushed against the fabric. Quickly withdrawing her hand, the redhead mewled, "Elsa…I'm scared. Who is he? Do you know him?"

Her icy blue eyes never left the old man's hateful gaze, even as she shook her head.

"They're just like  ** _his_** ," he continued, violently stabbing his cane into the snow as he took another halting step forward. "Pap always went on and on about him. Even now,  _his_ **filth**  still walks the earth! And me? No grandson to call my own; an only child! Grew up on pap's words; called me obsessed, they did!"

 _Who_ is  _this guy?!_

Anna saw Elsa swallow hard, moving to better shield her as he slowly drew closer, passing near their snowman. "I-I'm sorry sir, but I don't understand."

"The damn snow!" the old man barked angrily, suddenly swinging his cane to decapitate their creation. He stumbled a little, thrown off balance, but swung once more to completely demolish the snowman. "The damned snowflakes! I heard you! Oh, yes…Pap told me much. Pap told me what you did!"

The redhead whimpered in fright, eyes darting back and forth between the old man, Elsa, and the direction she had come from before, back to her undoubtedly worried parents. All around them, the snowflakes fell heavier and heavier as the wind started to pick up. Her parents had mentioned it would snow today, but it was only supposed to be  _lightly_ —just enough to blanket the ground. Clearly, the man on TV had lied…

Anna shivered against the suddenly biting cold, her eyes watering as she rubbed her mitten-covered hands together to keep them warm. She looked at Elsa, wondering if she felt just as cold, only to find the platinum blonde standing there in her light sweater as casually as if it were spring.

Anna noticed something else, too.

The old man was grinning now, but not in a good way. It looked distorted, wrong, and sent shivers down her spine in a way that the coldness of winter never could. She wanted to run, to get away from this creepy,  _obviously_   _crazy_  man, but doing so would mean leaving Elsa behind. With how much he seemed to hate her for some reason, she shuddered at the thought of what he might do.

"Anna. I want you to run," Elsa whispered shakily, her voice low enough so only the redhead could hear. "Please go back home. I can…I can handle this."

_You can 'handle this'? Are you outta your mind?! The guy's crazy! He killed our snowman, for cryin' out loud! Aren't old people supposed to be nice?!_

A small—albeit tight—smile formed on the taller girl's face, and Anna realized that she must have voiced her thoughts aloud. Normally she would've been embarrassed, but at this point, it didn't really matter. If they were going to run, they were going to run  _together_.

"I'm not leaving you, El—"

She was cut off by the old man's sudden bark of laughter, broken and full of spite.

"I see you now! I see what you're doing! Madman, madman! The madman with his talk of snow and ice!" His eyes blazed with the full force of his hatred as he spat,  _"The fucking ice and **his winter**_. _"_

And with that, he doubled his pace, hobbling frantically towards them—or rather, Elsa—with murder of the highest degree in his eyes. Terror wound its way through Anna's small body, and she grabbed the platinum blonde's arm, ignoring her surprised flinch as she desperately tugged her back in the direction they had come from. "Mama! Papa!" she screamed, hoping that maybe they could hear her and save them from the crazy man. The snowflakes, instead of offering their previous comfort, stung at her eyes as the wind violently whipped them around.

"Anna, just let me go! I'll distract him!"

" _You! You can't run from me! You think I'll just let this slide?! You think I'll just give up like pap?!"_

"No, you're coming with me, Elsa!" Anna tugged harder, stumbling in her haste as she waded through the slowly thickening snow. She could hear the old man's cane violently slashing at the snow, trying to clear his way.  _"Mama! Papa!"_

She faintly heard something, and immediately grew hopeful.  _Is that…?_

"…na…nna…Anna…?!"

_Yes! Yes, it is!_

**"I'm gonna kill you for what you did!"**

"Anna, I have to go," Elsa insisted, sounding terrified. "I can't come with you. That guy might go after you, too."

The redhead looked back, meeting wide, blue eyes filled with worry and fear. Over her shoulder, she could see the old man doggedly maintaining his pursuit, shouting words that she was sure her parents wouldn't want her to know. He had tripled his efforts and was moving closer and closer, nearly frothing at the mouth like the racehorses she saw on TV when pushed to the limit.

"Anna! Anna!"

Speaking of her parents…

"Mama! Papa!" Anna called out, catching sight of two figures hurrying towards her amidst the flurry of snowflakes. She was so relieved to see them that her grip slackened on Elsa's arm. It was too late for her to do anything once she realized her mistake—the platinum blonde had already backed away out of reach, just as she quickly turned around. Her eyes looked so apologetic, yet oddly enough, faintly happy at the same time.

"I'm sorry, Anna…but I'm not going with you," Elsa said, cradling her hands close to her as she managed a small smile. "And…thank you. For building a snowman with me, and for loving winter almost as much as I do."

_No, no, no…No! This is the part where you're supposed to come with me! Where mama and papa can protect you, too! Didn't you hear him? He wants to kill you!_

"Elsa—"

Both girls shrieked in terror as the old man's cane slashed within three feet of them. His hat had fallen somewhere along the way, revealing the faint wisps of hair on his mostly bald head, as well as an ugly-looking scar that was even paler than his skin. His breathing was ragged, his eyes far, far too wide and bloodshot. The old man's face was twisted into that horrible snarl again, and his hands shook violently as he aimed another swing, clearing through more of the rapidly growing snow.

 **"This is for pap!"**  the old man rasped, his voice as cutting as the wind blowing fiercely around them. Elsa quickly backed away, and he followed, completely forgetting about Anna…if he had even noticed her at all through his hatred.  **"And once I'm through with you, I'll kill the rest of your fucking spawn! Those bastards of yours with the ice-eyes! _The bitch who nearly killed me!_ "**

"Anna, go!"

"Anna!"

Strong arms immediately scooped the eight-year-old up into a tight embrace, but Anna barely felt her father's presence. Her gaze was fixed to the small braid of platinum blonde swinging back and forth as its owner stumbled across the snow, heading in the opposite direction. The old man was still attempting to follow, wildly stabbing into the snow with his cane as he gave chase.

**"You can't run from this! You think you can run from this?!"**

_"Elsa!"_  Anna shouted, twisting around in her father's hold as he picked her up. She didn't even acknowledge her mother coming up beside them. Elsa was but a figure in the distance, drawing the surprisingly quick old man further away from them. The wind was gradually dying down, and the snowflakes slowly fell at a lesser rate. Her cheeks felt numb, and she couldn't stop shivering as her feet futilely kicked at air, wanting to chase after the platinum blonde and bring her back to safety.

**_"…mon…et…ov…"_ **

The old man's voice had been loud, but by now, she could barely hear his frenzied shouts. Her parents had already enveloped her in a worried group hug, nearly suffocating her in the process but providing warmth she reluctantly admitted she needed.

"Anna, sweetie…are you alright?" her mother asked, pressing frantic kisses into her hair. "When the storm started rolling in, we got so worried! You said you wouldn't wander too far!"

"Well, I sorta met a friend…or, at least I  _hope_  we could be friends." Anna felt her lip tremble, her eyes starting to sting, and not because of the cold. "Mama, papa, we have to save her from this crazy old guy! He said he wanted to kill her!"

Thankfully, her parents released her from the stifling hug, eyes widening at the news. "'A crazy guy?'" her father repeated as he set her back down on her feet, placing both of his gloved hands on her shoulders. "Where is your friend now? Is she that 'Elsa' you were calling for?"

"Yes! And we have to hurry!" Anna tried not to cry, but ended up sniffling as her eyes welled up with tears. "I don't want Elsa to die, papa! She built a snowman with me, and she loves winter and snowflakes! Her voice is so pretty too, and she was supposed to sing for me!"

Her mother's face looked pained at her daughter's distress, and she glanced at her husband, teal eyes filled with worry. "Should we call the police?"

His lips pursed into a thin line as he shook his head. "Let's go see what this is about first before jumping to conclusions. Anna…will you lead the way?"

She immediately pulled away from her father's grasp and sprinted in the direction Elsa had gone earlier, hoping her parents were right behind her. Thankfully, the snow wasn't falling as much and the blanket covering the park wasn't as thick as before. Anna called for the platinum blonde, teal eyes darting about frantically for any sign of that hair or her blue sweater.

… _Or blood._

"Elsa! Elsa! El—"

There! Standing on a path near a small group of trees whose bark was finely dusted with snow, and the branches completely barren. The blue sweater stood out like a sore thumb amidst the wintery expanse of the park…as well as the dark gray coat of the figure standing beside her, leaning against one of the trees. Running on pure adrenaline and fear, Anna did not make the distinction between the old man's  _black_  coat and this newcomer's  _dark gray_  one, bolting towards them with all the speed a worried—and furious—eight-year-old could possess.

_"Elsa!"_

"A-Anna…?!"

_"Get away from her!"_

"Anna, wait—!"

Too late. The redhead barreled into the figure just as they turned around, almost falling into the snow. Unfortunately—or not?—whoever it was managed to keep their balance, uttering a small grunt of surprise. Undeterred, Anna drew her arm back to pummel at their stomach, but arms quickly wrapped around her and forcibly pulled her away before she could even get a kick in, let alone a punch.

"Papa, let me g—"

"Just  _stop_ , Anna!" Elsa's voice sounded in her ear, faintly hoarse, and only then did she notice whose embrace she was in. "Don't hurt him! He's not…the crazy man."

 _Wait…_ what?  _So where did he go, then? How'd you get away? Who_ is _this?_

The taller girl released her; a hesitant smile on her face as she turned her gaze to the guy Anna was all but ready to fight tooth and nail against. "Although…he  _is_  a bit old."

"Now, now, Elsa," came a deep, rumbling voice as Anna turned her head to truly look at him. "Is that any way to speak about your elders? After all…with age, comes wisdom."

The old man towered over her, his dark gray woolen coat hanging loosely on his thin frame. His skin wasn't as wrinkly or pale as the crazy guy, but his face definitely looked weathered, and his aged, dark eyes shone with an oddly wild fire that made the hairs on the back of Anna's neck rise. His silvery hair was cropped relatively short, sticking out like the ridges and spikes on a dragon's head that she once saw in her fairy tale books, and his beard was neatly trimmed. The old man noticed her blatant staring, and offered an amused smile.

"Greetings, young one," he rumbled in a resonant voice that somehow brought an image of mountains, and soaring freely through the sky to her mind. It may have been her imagination, but she swore she could almost smell the faintest hint of smoke amidst the wintry air. "I am…Arthur. Elsa's guardian."

"'Guardian?'" Anna repeated, wondering what he meant by that word. Before she could ask him to explain, her parents were suddenly at her side, pulling her close to them and eyeing Arthur warily.

"Is this the man, Anna?" her father asked curtly, his hazel eyes narrowing.

"N-No, sir," Elsa spoke up for her, walking over to stand beside her 'guardian' as she wrung her hands nervously when he directed his gaze to hers. "That man is…He's not here anymore."

_Not here? But where did he go? Did he almost kill you? What if he tries to hurt other people? What's his problem, anyway? Are the police gonna get him?_

Arthur arched an eyebrow, and Anna realized that she spoke her thoughts out loud again. This time, however, she had the grace to look embarrassed; fidgeting in spite of the faint smile Elsa gave her.  _That's better,_  the redhead thought, noting that those pretty blue eyes weren't so terrified anymore.  _She deserves to smile and not be scared._

"He was a rather… _bitter_  man," Arthur said as he reached out to lightly ruffle Elsa's hair, as if to comfort her after the events from earlier. "Thankfully, I found Elsa before he could hurt her, and…dealt with him accordingly. He will not bother innocent folk again."

Instead of offering reassurance, Anna felt a shiver ghost down her spine as she tried not to imagine what the old man meant by 'dealing with him.' He had spoken with such utter finality, she wouldn't be surprised if Arthur had somehow killed the man himself.  _But…Elsa clearly trusts him. She wouldn't trust a killer, right?_  the redhead thought to herself even as she squinted her eyes suspiciously at this so-called 'guardian.'  _He probably got the police to lock him away or something. Or knocked the crazy out of his head._

"But who was he? What did he want with Elsa?"

She saw the platinum blonde bite her lip, reaching out a trembling hand to grip the edge of Arthur's dark gray coat. The old man's eyes softened as he glanced down at the girl standing beside him, and he carefully tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "He was not in full possession of his faculties and…mistook her for another."

"Papa, what does he mean by 'faculties'?" Anna asked, looking up at her father. She couldn't help but feel a little frustrated with herself—first 'guardian' and now 'faculties'? Elsa probably knew them, since she liked using big words…Meanwhile, Anna  _didn't_.

"He's, um…saying that the man didn't know what he was doing and thought Elsa was someone else," her father explained, his previously rigid shoulders relaxing somewhat as he held out his hand. "I apologize for not introducing ourselves earlier, sir. I'm Agdar, and this is my wife, Idunn. You already know Anna, I presume?"

The silver-haired man firmly shook the offered hand, and judging by the brief wince on her father's face, his grip must have been surprisingly strong. "You presume correctly. Elsa briefly informed me of her," he rumbled as they parted, nodding at her mother, who politely smiled back. "As I have already revealed to Anna…I am Elsa's legal guardian, Arthur Nax. However, I would prefer if you address me as Mr. Nax. It is…easier for me."

 _Nax? What kind of a last name is that?_  Anna thought, scrunching up her face in confusion.  _And why wouldn't you wanna use your first name? He can't be_ that _boring, can he? Besides, 'Arthur' is definitely better than_ that! She must have looked funny, since Elsa barely stifled a giggle, hiding her smile behind her hand. Arthur's eyebrow arched once more, dark eyes puzzled, and her embarrassment increased twofold as she hurried to form a normal expression again, cheeks almost as fiery as her hair.

"Anna?" her mother's voice shook her out of her thoughts, gentle and warm. The redhead looked up to see her smiling encouragingly. "Would you like to play with Elsa for a little longer? Before we leave?"

 _Yes! Yes, I do!_  she wanted to shout giddily, but hesitantly glanced over at Elsa to see if she wanted to, as well. Their gazes met, and she had never seen a shade of blue look so happy. Well…if a color  _could_  look happy, this was it. The large smile on the taller girl's face also helped, too. Together, they both looked up at the silver-haired man pensively watching the exchange, with Anna using her best puppy-dog expression and Elsa merely tugging excitedly on his coat.

Arthur chuckled, the rich sound ringing strongly in the wintry air. "A splendid idea. I see no problem with the young ones playing, especially after such a scare…There certainly is enough snow to entertain them."

There was a certain lilt to his deep voice then, which made Elsa pick at the hem of her sweater for some reason, averting her gaze even as the smile remained on her lips.

Anna brightened immediately, grinning broadly as she realized what could wipe the bashful expression from the platinum blonde's face.

"Elsa?"

Pretty, icy blue eyes looked up to meet hers.

"Do you wanna build another snowman?"

Elsa's smile grew.

And so they did.

At Anna's insistence, they called it Olaf this time, with a goofier-looking head than the previous one, and a bigger base. The adults stood a little ways off, talking amongst themselves as they watched over the children. She rolled her eyes at that, unable to understand how someone could just stand there and  _not_  play in the snow. Across from her, Elsa was using the leftovers to make a much, much smaller snowman beside their bigger one, smiling contentedly as she worked.

"We can name that one Gunther, if you want," the redhead offered, flopping unceremoniously onto her back to look at the other girl, upside-down. "I still think the name sucks, though."

Elsa shook her head as she packed the last of the snow into place on her 1-foot tall creation, her smile growing thoughtful as Anna openly admired the dexterity in which she was able to build with snow, even from her position. "I'm fine. It wasn't really my idea, anyway."

Anna barely heard her; she was too busy squealing over the little snowman. "It's so  **cute** , Elsa! It's so small and…and just  _soooooo_  cute!" she gushed, squashing her cheeks together with her hands as she rolled over onto her stomach, kicking her feet back and forth in the air. "Like a baby snowman! But a  _whooooole_  lot cuter!"

"I'm glad you like it, Anna," Elsa said, giggling at the redhead's silly expression. "What do you want to name it?"

"Olaf Junior!"

It started with a snort, piercing through the momentary silence that hung between them.

…And then it was quickly followed by one of the prettiest sounds eight-year-old Anna had ever heard.

Elsa  _laughed_. Not the giggles she'd been having before, but the sort of hearty laughter that made you hug your arms around your waist, made your cheeks flush, and almost made you bring tears to your eyes. Normally, Anna's face would burn with embarrassment over someone laughing at her—admittedly, somewhat serious—idea, but… _Her laugh is just as pretty as her voice,_  the redhead thought in wonder, unable to help the smile that curled on her lips.  _Just like the rest of her._

"Are you done?" she asked, resting her chin in her hands as she feigned indifference. The smile said otherwise.

Elsa merely smirked, blue eyes twinkling mischievously. "Now  _what_  name did you say sucked?"

Anna frowned, her mind wandering back to before as the curiosity she had so carefully kept in check started to slip free. She hadn't wanted to scare the girl away earlier with her usual flurry of words, especially if it had to do with her 'guardian'. "Arthur's last name is weird. It doesn't suck as much as Gunther, but it sounds a lot like 'snacks'," she blurted out, just before her teal eyes suddenly widened. "Wait, am I suppose to call him 'Mr. Nax,' too? 'Cause I don't really wanna call him that. I think I'd get hungry every time."

The platinum blonde blinked in surprise at the sudden change in topic before she tapped her chin thoughtfully, her gaze drifting to the sky. "I don't think he'd mind if  _you_  did; just the adults. You didn't even know his last name until he told your parents."

The redhead sighed, relieved. She started idly kicking her feet again, encouraged by Elsa's response to ask another question. "What did he mean by 'guardian'?"

"From what I understand…he said that he's taking care of me now since my…my parents aren't around. He's sort of like an uncle, except we're not related," Elsa answered hesitantly as sorrow flickered across her eyes. "I still have my Aunt Gerda and Uncle Kai, but they said papa wanted me to live with Arthur if something bad happened. It's safer."

_Her parents…are they dead?_

"Are you…okay, then?" Anna asked, not intending for her voice to sound so small. "At least you still have your aunt and uncle." Even at eight years old, her heart went out to the taller girl. She couldn't imagine a life without her parents around—it was much too scary of a thought. She hoped Elsa's parents were just actually super busy or something instead of…being dead. "Arthur still seems suspicious, though."

Elsa managed a small smile at that, the sorrow slowly abating as the redhead briefly glanced over at the silver-haired man in question, eyes narrowed in childish suspicion before looking back at her. "Even if he's not like papa, Arthur's not too bad," the platinum blonde said softly, fondness evident in her voice. "He protects me, like he did with that man earlier. And…he teaches me a lot of things too, like where the North Star is in case I get lost in a forest somewhere…but he  _really_  loves teaching me how to use my voice."

 _Your voice is really pretty,_  Anna wanted to say, but put that aside for the moment.

"Thank you, Anna."

 _Oh my gosh, did I just say that out loud?! Again?!_  Horrified, Anna covered her reddening face with her mitten-clad hands, but not before she saw Elsa's smile grow slightly, her cheeks faintly pink and the sadness from earlier all but gone. Her blue eyes were bright with joy, just like that moment before—

"Y'know…I don't get why that guy hated you so much," Anna grumbled, slowly lowering her hands as the blush swiftly vanished at the thought of that scary old man. "You're only eight. The only bad stuff  _I've_  done was crashing my bike inside the house, or eating this whole bag of chocolate before dinner, or knocking over a vase or two. It's not like you killed anyone, or somethin'."

Elsa's eyes widened. " _Kill_  someone?! I could never do that!" She ducked her head, twiddling her thumbs in her lap. "Besides…I don't want to hurt anyone, let alone kill them."

"I'm not saying  _you_  would! I just…" Anna quickly exclaimed, before she frowned grumpily, frustrated at herself for bringing it up in the first place. "He's stupid, that's all. A poopyhead. A big, stupid, bald poopyhead that smells like old people." No need to also mention how scary he had been.

 _That_  certainly brought a smile back to the taller girl's face, albeit a small one.

"'Smells like old people'?" Elsa repeated, the corners of her eyes crinkling a bit as her smile grew. "Anna, he  _was_  an old person. He's supposed to smell like that."

"Well,  _Arthur_  doesn't smell like that!" Anna retorted, grinning at the much lighter mood. "And his voice isn't as raspy and old-sounding! It's cool!"

Elsa giggled behind her hand. "Anna, he's still old. I mean, his voice is pretty deep, but—"

"A-And I like  _your_  voice better, anyway."

… _Oh. I did_ not  _just say that, did I?_

"You did," the platinum blonde giggled as her cheeks flushed a faint pink. "And thank you…Again."

Oh, this would  _not_  help with her tendency to blurt out the first thing that came to mind. "I-I mean, you're only eight and stuff, and if your voice sounds really pretty  _now_ , just…Oh my gosh, just think would it would sound like when you're older! A-And you're really pretty, and brave too, 'cause you faced that guy on your own, and did I say I like your voice? Does Arthur know how pretty you sound? Does he teach you songs and stuff? 'Cause I bet your singing—"

Anna paused, excitement bubbling up inside of her with the realization that she could finally ask again without any interruptions—

—only for Elsa to hold up a hand to stop her, trying not to smile at the redhead's obvious frustration, and utterly failing. "Slow down, Anna. You asked your questions. Now it's  _my_  turn."

 _But that's not fair! I still got_ loads  _to ask! Like…what else you like to do, what's your favorite color, and what's your favorite food! Do you like sandwiches? And…And you_ totally _knew I was going to ask you to sing!_  Anna inwardly huffed, but outwardly, she sighed overdramatically, rolling her eyes. "Fiiiiiiiiiiinnnne…If you  _insist_ , Elsa."

The platinum blonde fiddled with the hem of her sweater, suddenly looking a little nervous. "Your mom said you would have to leave soon. Do you think I could see you again? Today was…really fun, and it's nice having a friend who likes winter. Arthur doesn't mind sometimes, but he's old and doesn't like to leave the grounds too much."

Anna stopped listening after she heard the word 'friend.'

… _Friend._

 _She said_   **friend.**

Before Anna could even grin and agree wholeheartedly, she suddenly remembered what day it was today. She swallowed hard, averting her gaze as she rested her chin on her left hand, using her right to absently brush at the snow, much like scuffling at the ground with her boots if she had been standing. Her bottom lip quivered, and she felt her eyes sting a little.  _Why couldn't we have met earlier? At least then we could've squeezed in a few more days of playing…_

"…Anna?" Elsa's voice was soft and hesitant, with a layer of concern.

The redhead sighed heavily, and when she spoke, her voice was small. "Papa's job is making him move all the way to Corona, where he sent my older sister for school. He didn't say how long we'd stay there, but he said we'd come back when it's over." She bit her lip as a mitten-covered hand curled tightly around the snow. "…I'm sorry, Elsa. We're supposed to leave today, but since mama and papa know I love the snow so much, they let me play for a bit before we go since it's a long drive."

For a few moments, there was silence, broken only by the faint whispers of conversation from the adults farther away.

 _I messed everything up,_  Anna thought dejectedly as she steeled herself to look up and meet the other girl's gaze.  _Now I probably won't even get to hear her sing before I go._

As expected, Elsa looked crestfallen; absolutely so. She wasn't looking at her anymore, choosing instead to busy herself with a stray thread on her sweater. Her lips were pulled into a sad frown as her fingers slowly curled until she was cradling her hands to her chest. The snowflakes started to fall in greater numbers again, and Anna hurriedly sat back up, not wanting to get buried if another storm suddenly hit.  _That guy on TV must be the biggest liar in the history of liars_ , the redhead thought grumpily as she brushed the snow off the front of her jacket.

She heard Elsa swallow, as if to recompose herself, and she paused. Slowly, those pretty blue eyes looked up to meet hers. They were full of sadness and hurt, yes, but they were also full of determination. "Arthur said that…things happen for a reason. That we won't know why until it's time," she began, her voice growing steady again. "And…someone else said that I should listen to what my heart tells me…I don't know  _how_ , but meeting you like this, and all that happened after…"

Elsa managed a small smile then—not tight-lipped and sad, but shy and warm.

"I  ** _know_**  that we'll meet again, Anna. That's what it's telling me."

She reached out a hand, and immediately it was gripped by Anna's mitten-covered one. Teal eyes shone with hope, urging her to continue.

"And when that happens, we'll be friends."

"…Best friends?"

"The very best."

"A-Are you sure? 'Cause we might be all grown up by then, and I…well, I dunno if I'd even remember you since I have like…a ton of things always goin' on in my head, and  _who knows_  if you'd even remember someone like  _me_ —"

"Anna."

The redhead ceased in what promised to be the beginnings of a ramble, silenced by the prettiest smile she ever saw in her eight years on this earth.

"It'll be okay. Even if we don't remember each other…we'll still find our way back, I think."

"…Is that what your heart is telling you?"

Anna didn't mean for her voice to come out so small, so insecure…yet so hopeful.

Elsa giggled at that, nodding her head as she used her other hand to carefully brush the snow from Anna's fiery hair. Snowflakes tickled her nose again, encouraging the already large grin forming on the redhead's face. Elsa squeezed her hand, blue eyes bright with joy as her smile grew.

"Now…I believe I owe you a song?"


	2. Meet the Crew

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anna will show up at the end of Chapter 2. Her POV will start to feature more often from Chapter 3 and onward. Charlotte is needed as an uninformed intro to set things up, so please bear with me for now.
> 
> [FFnet link](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10221899/1/The-Song-in-My-Heart)
> 
> If you want to, I'd appreciate the support on there as well.

_Chapter 1: Meet the Crew_

**-x-x-x-**

" _Many people pray to be kept out of unexpected problems.  
Some people pray to be able to confront and overcome them."_

* * *

A wrench gleamed in the dim light of the backstage, spinning rapidly in the air before a callused hand deftly caught it with all the ease of a professional juggler in a circus troupe. Its owner watched the dancers spinning elegantly beneath the stage lights, dark brown eyes filled with an alertness that belied his relaxed position, casually sitting on the locking rail in a large enough spot between the lines. It was a little dangerous, considering there might suddenly be a freak malfunction with the pulleys and the weights might drop down on his head, but…he'd been doing this long enough, and nothing ever happened before.

He softly tapped the toe of his boot against the wooden black planks of the stage, just in case.

The dancers onstage cheered as the orchestra pit continued with the lively music, clapping in time to the beat with an enthusiasm that was almost infectious. The audience certainly seemed to be getting into it from what he could see, but the crew had already heard the songs enough times. Besides, they had a job to do, and that was to make the actors and the show look good. Well…even better, actually. Loathe as he was to admit it, the actors this year were pretty talented.

All the same, more than a few heads were bobbing in time to the music from their place in the shadows.

"Get ready," Kristoff muttered to a fellow member of the tech crew watching the show nearby. "We're flying up the decorations soon. Make sure Jim minds the electric tape I put on the line for him—he almost knocked the basketball hoop into the lights cuz he flew it up too high."

The techie nodded, smirking as he gave a small salute, dark eyes glinting with amusement. "Aye aye, Cap'n. I'll see to it the lazy scalawag doesn't fall asleep at his post!"

Kristoff stowed the wrench back in his pocket, failing to hide the faint grin that crept on his face. "Enough with the sailor talk, Olaf. I'm a different sort of captain."

"You're technically not any of the conventional types of captains—it's just a title the Stage Manager pulled outta her butt," the boy said with a shrug, turning to walk away. "But admit it, Kris. You like being called 'Cap'n.'"

"Shut up, Olaf."

"Whatever you say…Cap'n!" the techie said, grinning cheekily over his shoulder as he walked over to his line.

Kristoff sighed heavily, running a hand through his blonde hair as he pushed off from the locking rail, soundlessly making his way to his own post. The timing for this had to be perfect—the stress of it was second only to flying out the brick walls in Act II. Sure, this was their second-to-last night and they've had shit-tons of practice under their belt, but even so, the tech crew knew more than anyone that absolutely anything could happen during a show… **Anything.**

God, he still couldn't forget that incident…even if it  _had_  given him one of his best friends.

A red light blinking from the com system hooked to a ladder on the wall quickly caught his attention. Sparing a glance towards the stage, Kristoff cursed quietly under his breath as he trudged over—their part was up in less than a minute!  _And where is that damned Stage Manager?! This is the last time we let the Director give an actor that position, mark my wor—_

A frantic voice immediately assaulted his ears the moment the blonde slipped on the headset and held down the talk button. Palms sweating in anticipation, Kristoff couldn't help but continually glance at the stage, hissing, "Stage left. What the hell is going on?"

"Wha—Kristoff?! Why are you on here? Where's Charlotte?!" a panicked voice came from the other end, accompanied by anxious whispers in the background from what sounded like the tech booth. "Nevermind that! We have a problem!"

"Calm down, Jane!" Kristoff snapped, feeling a little guilty for shouting at the—admittedly—sweet brunette, but unable to keep the irritation from his voice—Bernardo had just separated Tony and Maria. "Is the problem imminent? Will it mess up the next scene transition?"

"What? Well, no it won't, but—"

"Then wait until we finish our job, okay? If you haven't already, send some people from stage right to look for Charlotte."

"But that's the thing! They—"

"Kristoff!" Olaf's alarmed whisper pierced through the darkness as the bright lights onstage rapidly dimmed and actors suddenly flooded the backstage, signaling the end of the party scene.

Hissing a curse, Kristoff yanked off the headset and shoved it into the hands of a nearby actor who had just exited the stage, lunging desperately towards his position. His right knee banged against the hard metal of the locking rail as he used the rest of his momentum to hurriedly slip the ring off the rope lock and pull down the red lever. Struggling to regain his footing, the blonde grabbed at the line, going hand over hand as he pulled upwards, ignoring the throbbing in his knee. It was a miracle, but Kristoff somehow managed to keep up with his fellow techies handling the fly rails, only lagging behind for half a second and barely noticeable to the audience.

_Some captain_ I  _am,_  the blond thought, grunting as he quickly pulled up the lever to forcibly halt the line before the decoration could hit one of the lights. Normally it was bad practice, but his line had been going a little  _too_  fast and he had no desire to have rope-burnt hands for Act II.  _Note to self: strangle Charlotte the next time I see her._

Kristoff felt a hand on his arm as he slipped the ring back on the rope lock, and turned to see Olaf standing there with a frown on his face. "What happened out there?" the boy whispered, dark eyes filled with concern. "You almost missed the cue!"

The blonde sighed heavily, tiredly running a hand down his face. "Charlotte wasn't at her damn post, that's what. And Jane was freaking out over the com because—" He stopped, turning his head and searching amidst the dark forms crowding the backstage. "Shit, I gave the headset to an actor."

The last time he gave a headset to an actor—rather reluctantly, he might add—they had accidentally ruined both the cord and the com itself somehow.

"Oh, c'mon, Kris! I'm sure they won't break it—"

"I am  _not_  paying for a new com system, Olaf! Don't you remember how broke I am this month?"

"Hey, the Tech Director is actually the one who'll—"

A voice suddenly drifted over to them amidst the music and the quiet rustles of costumes, sounding a little nervous. "Is there a Kristoff here? Kristoff Bjorgman?"

Immediately following the voice in spite of the throbbing in his knee, and making no attempt to hide the scowl on his face, the blonde arrived in front one of the actors—a wavy-haired redhead named Ariel. Her perfectly manicured hands gingerly held out the headset to him, as if it were a ticking time bomb.  _At least she's careful with it,_ Kristoff couldn't help but think as he slipped it back on, and she hurriedly brushed past him to rejoin her fellow actors.  _Even so, I wouldn't trust them completely with equipment like this._

A shriek immediately rang in his ears. "KRISTOFF!"

"OW!  _Damn it, Jane!_ "

…

… _Oh god, I hope the audience didn't hear that._

"Maria" had some fairly quiet parts, especially near the end. For the second time that night, a miracle had occurred and Kristoff was lucky enough to have shouted right when the music had swelled to a crescendo. Even so, more than a few pointed looks from both actors and techies alike were thrown his way. Olaf merely introduced his palm to his forehead, shaking his black-haired head in dismay.

Ears still ringing, Kristoff was glad the darkness hid the bright blush of embarrassment on his cheeks as he held down the talk button. "Okay…Scene transition done. What's the problem, again?"

"Officer Krupke got hurt and Charlotte is nowhere to be found! I sent some techies from my part of the stage to look for her, but they haven't come back yet!" Jane relayed frantically, the panic causing her voice to shift an octave higher and create some feedback.

A few groans from the tech booth part of the line verified that their ears must've been bleeding as badly as his. Their line went silent, indicating that they must've pulled back in a strategic retreat and ripped their headsets off—a smart move, and one he wished he could do too…

"Damn it, calm down, will ya?" Kristoff vaguely wondered how badly his hearing would be affected now. "When did this happen?"

Her response was significantly more subdued. "Not too long ago. About halfway through the party scene, I think. I have a techie dealing with Officer Krupke, but Charlotte is the one who has the keys to the office, where the first aid kit is kept."

_Never. Give. An actor. The keys._  Kristoff resisted the urge to say this aloud as he sighed heavily. "You're the Assistant Stage Manager, aren't you? Shouldn't you have a spare set? And why is the office locked? It's supposed to be kept open  _specifically_  for that purpose!"

Meanwhile, the orchestra had finished playing "Maria" and the lights went dark, signaling the crew members responsible for moving set pieces to spring into action. Music kept playing to hide the sounds of wheels rolling across the stage and the grunts of techies as they pushed the pieces into place, working like a well-oiled machine. Once in position, they snuck back to their home in the shadows, fluidly slipping past groups of actors waiting further in the wings for their cues.

Kristoff was  _supposed_  to be among them. The crew was short enough on people as is, and he was the strongest on stage left…yet here he was, doing Charlotte's job for her. His angry scowl shifted to that of a worried frown as he saw that Marshall—nicknamed Marshmallow on account of being a softie despite his size—was the only one who had been handling a particularly large set piece.

"Well, Gaston and a few others were caught smoking there earlier so Charlotte decided to lock it up—"

"Has anyone found her yet?" the blonde cut her off as the lights turned back on and the actors made their way onstage. "What happened to the techies you sent to look for her? You're lucky Marshmallow's the strongest guy here, but we have more set pieces to move later—he can't be in two places at once next time!"

"Look, Kristoff…I'm  _trying_ , but I can't just leave my post here, and I have to make sure the actors are ready for the next scene! I'm also  _Prop Manager_ , remember?" Jane's exasperated voice patched through, "The techies I sent still haven't come back yet and Officer Krupke needs to get some ice on his foot or else—"

_Damn it…you truly_ are  _a fool, Bjorgman._

"Was Elsa one of the techies you sent to find Charlotte?" His voice was quiet; no longer whisper-shouting at her, but still retaining an undercurrent of frustration. He should have asked this question  _ages_  ago.

"Who?"

"Elsa! Platinum blonde usually in a braid, blue eyes, doesn't talk much? The, uh…the 'Ice Queen?' She's not the one taking care of Krupke right now, is she?" Kristoff desperately wanted to strangle something for resorting to this, and suddenly found Olaf beside him at the mention of her—depending on who you ask—infamous nickname. The black-haired boy raised an eyebrow in question, frowning slightly in concern.

"The Ice Queen…Oh, yes! Her! Yes, I sent her to look for Charlotte!" The actor-turned-Assistant-Stage-Manager's voice grew subdued again. "Should I not have…?"

"You may not know this since you missed one of the tech meetings back in the beginning, and I don't know if Charlotte ever got around to telling you…but Mr. North specifically stated that you should turn to Elsa for any injuries  _during_  show time," Kristoff explained through gritted teeth. "You  _sent away_  the  _one person_  who could help him while that  _ditzy_  blonde is—"

He felt the headset suddenly ripped off his head, and whirled about, brown eyes flashing with anger, only to find a glaring Olaf. The techie slipped it onto his own head and reached out behind his best friend to hold down the talk button. "Hey, Jane? It's Olaf. Sorry about Kristoff; he's being a grumpy-pants again," he heard the boy say. "Would you mind explaining the situation to me?"

Thoroughly miffed, Kristoff crossed his arms and leaned against the locking rail, trying not to put too much pressure on his bruised knee, which had begun to throb again. Olaf said a few "okay's" and "oh, I see's"—clearly far more patient with the brunette than Kristoff could spare at the moment. The blonde scowled again, running a hand through his hair like he did whenever he was exasperated.  _Techies are better than actors, that's all I'm saying. Just because the two of them didn't make the cut doesn't mean the Director can just appoint them Stage Manager and Assistant Stage Manager!_

"Alright, I'll try to get him to calm down. I'm really sorry about this, Jane. Kristoff's usually a nice guy; you just caught him at a bad time."

_One of the worst times, actually._

His friend placed a hand on his arm after he slung the headset back on the ladder rails. "Kris. With our Tech Director busy with something tonight, you know that the rest of us techies look to you, right? You can't just…let this feud you have with the actors get in the way of that." Olaf sighed heavily, shaking his head in dismay. "Let's go find Elsa. The techies searching for Charlotte just came back and she's not with them. Jane's sending Aladdin and Kida over to fill in for us while we try next."

Kristoff worked his jaw, the tips of his ears growing hot in embarrassment. For  _Olaf_  of all people to reprimand him…he must've messed up quite a bit.

"…Fine. But after this, I'm giving Mr. North an earful for ditching us tonight."

* * *

A dainty blonde with cute curls framing a doll-like face sighed heavily to herself, rosy lips puckering in determination as she continued to soldier on through the darkness. Her daddy hadn't raised her to be a pushover, no! Even so, the flashlight held in her manicured hands trembled as her eyes darted back and forth frantically, afraid that something might jump out of the shadows at any moment. She wasn't sure how likely that would be, but it was a  _definite_  possibility already, if the tell-tale scratching of mice in the distance, or insects scurrying across the floor were of any indication.

"Ohhh…How did I even  _get_  here?" Charlotte groaned to herself as she shuddered, her accented voice bouncing strangely off the walls and turning her whisper into an ominous rumble.

Earlier, the actor playing Officer Krupke had accidentally tripped over a pile of wood in the backroom in his search for his nightstick prop, bruising his ankle something fierce when the pile collapsed on him. The nightstick had been on a shelf a mere foot away, too! Charlotte had wrinkled her nose at the sight of the blue and black skin when she had brought him back to the boys' dressing room for treatment. It was just so… _gross-looking._

She had caught Gaston and his buddies smoking in the Tech Director's office earlier after school and had decided to lock the room to keep them out. Mr. North wasn't here and despite what that Kristoff Bjorgman might think, she was still Stage Manager—she had to act responsible while he was away. Her daddy would've wanted it so, and Tiana would've been proud at her initiative…

…If only she hadn't forgotten where she had set down the keys.

She had hidden them somewhere Gaston and his friends wouldn't expect to find it—that, she remembered. Unfortunately, it seemed she had hidden it  _too_  well, even if it  _had_  seemed like a good idea at the time.

Since then, Charlotte had looked everywhere for them—the dressing rooms, the practice rooms, the band room, the orchestra room, the choir room…heck, even the bathroom! Quickly running out of 'rooms to check, she had somehow found herself in the backroom where past set pieces, buckets of paint, all manners of equipment and tools, brushes, piles of wood that couldn't find a place in the woodshop, ladders, rags, and brooms had silently greeted her. She had known for a fact that the massive room was chaotic enough with the lights on, but with the show underway, she couldn't risk turning them on. So, trusty flashlight in hand, Charlotte had taken a huge gulp and, steeling herself, boldly plunged into the semi-darkness of the backroom.

Even as the Stage Manager for the past few months of rehearsals, she could count the number of times she'd set foot in there on one hand.

And those had been when all of the lights were  _on_.

Needless to say, Charlotte had somehow managed to get herself thoroughly lost. Although, to be fair, it was rather easy to get lost if one were to wander  _beyond_  the parts of the backroom that were used the most, such as the paint area, the corner surrounded by a grilled fence where the technical equipment and tools were kept—affectionately nicknamed "The Cage" by the crew—and the cleaning supplies area. Everything after the more recent set pieces and larger piles of wood, however, was uncharted territory to all but the more experienced members of the tech crew.

That is, everyone except Charlotte and Jane.

Right now, the normally spritely blonde was seriously regretting not paying much attention to Olaf's tour from before. A movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention, and the flashlight instantly jerked towards it, her heartbeat loud in her ears, only to find…dripping water.

_Water? Here?_  Charlotte furrowed her brow and directed the light upwards, tracing the path to find its origin at a rusty-looking pipe along the ceiling.  _Wait…what?! Why is the ceiling a lot lower now?_

She had noticed earlier that the musty smell of paint and wood shavings had gradually taken on a damper and staler quality as she walked further and further on, but…she didn't think the room would've changed  _that_  much at the time. Her flashlight was still able to pick up on older set pieces and supplies covered in tarps with layers of dust on them, so she  _should_  still be in the same place…Then again, it  _was_  pretty massive to begin with.

"Uh…O—Okay, I don't think the keys are here," Charlotte said to herself, unable to keep the tremor from her voice as she quickly turned back the way she came, footsteps hurrying to return to a more familiar setting. "M—Maybe I should look somewhere…else…now…?"

The way back was almost pitch black, and a little further on, the corridor split in two.

_Wait…corridor? I was in a_ corridor?!  _How did somethin' like_ that  _happen?!_

Charlotte froze, struck with terror as she realized that she didn't know which one she had come out from. Casting the light to the floor, she couldn't find any hints of her footsteps, either. The floor was dirty, but curiously enough, it was by no means untouched to the point where it would accumulate the needed dust that could've helped her.

Palms rapidly growing sweatier by the second, the blonde reached into the pocket of her black pants for her phone. Before the start of every show, the Director would collect everyone's phones to eliminate distractions during the performance, but Charlotte was sometimes able to hide hers. It was a good thing she did tonight.

Hurriedly unlocking it, and blinking a few times at the sudden brightness that met her eyes, she found to her dismay that there was no signal. She couldn't call for help.

"T—Tiana?" Charlotte feebly called into the darkness, picking one of the paths and desperately hoping it would lead her back to familiar faces as she started to pick up the pace. "Tia? Anyone? Can anyone hear me?! Tia!"

Tiana was always there for her when they were kids. The dark-skinned girl was the more responsible one between the two of them, and little Charlotte could always count on her to be there when she needed it most, no matter how spoiled or selfish she acted. Now…just simply calling for her best friend's name helped keep the panic at being completely and utterly lost from rising any further. As long as the blonde pretended that Tiana would eventually show up to shake her head, smile at her silliness, and motion for her to follow…that would be enough to keep her from freaking out and having a breakdown.

For now, at least.

"Heeeellllllllloooooooo! Can anyone hear meeeeeee?!" Her shouts echoed long and clear, laced with a growing fear. "Tiaaaaaa! Kristooooooffff! Jaaaaaaaaannneee! Olaaaaaaafff! Annnyyyooonnneee?!"

_Where_ am  _I, anyway? It's almost like I'm underground._

"Kiiiiiiiidddaaaaa! Jiiiiiiimmmm! Alaaaaaaaddiiiinn! Heeeelllllllooo!"

Charlotte's arm suddenly brushed against a spider's web.

The resulting shriek was louder and shriller than any of her other calls, echoing deep into the network of tunnels and passageways she had just barely begun to discover.

* * *

Worn sneakers came to a sudden halt, its owner pricking their ears as if to listen for something.

_Was that my imagination? Or did I just hear—_

There it was again—a muted shriek coming from a nearby vent, nearly drowned out by the distant music of the show.

Lips curled downward into a frown as a high brow furrowed worriedly, hand tightening around a flashlight while sneakers jerked into motion, running down the hall.

… _Oh, no._

* * *

" **GETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFF—"**

Charlotte was full-out sprinting now.

"— **GETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFF—"**

At this point, she was probably putting the star athlete of the track team to shame.

"— **GETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFF—"**

She didn't know where she was going, nor did she care anymore.

"— **GETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFF—** _ **OOMPH!**_ **"**

The blonde tripped over her own feet in the dark and tumbled head over heels, only stopping when she painfully hit a wall with a loud 'thud'. Her flashlight flew out of her hands upon impact, and she vaguely heard it clattering away as she groaned loudly from her sprawled spot on the floor, clutching at her aching head. The music surrounding her was too loud to know for sure, but it  _must be_  far away by n—

Eyes blinked owlishly as she quickly pushed herself up into a sitting position, the throbbing in her head momentarily ignored. She bore an uncanny resemblance to a statue at that moment.

Music.

She shouldn't be hearing music.

Why was she hearing music?

_And why is it so loud? No…No way! Could it be…?!_

Charlotte's jaw dropped open, gasping as her eyes widened. Scrambling to her feet, she hastily took in her surroundings, immediately noting that her flashlight had rolled away to the other side of the room. It was a medium-sized room with a low ceiling, but only a little higher than the corridor she had been in. There was a dust-covered table pushed up against one of the walls, and boxes were stacked against another. Light streamed in from several small grills positioned a foot away from the ceiling, illuminating the dust particles thrown up by the blonde's entrance, and shining down on the myriad of trash and assorted items scattered about the floor. Gum wrappers, papers, dust bunnies, a set of familiar-looking keys, candy wrappers, pens, pencils, a guitar pick—

Wait.

Charlotte resisted the urge to squeal in delight as she literally  _dove_  for her keys, not caring that she bumped her knees against the floor or unintentionally made her clothes dirtier than they already were. She shot to her feet, bringing the keys to her lips in a loud kiss and holding them high in the air like a trophy as she pranced about the room. She felt like singing for joy, but her throat was hurting a little from all the screaming she did before coming here.

_Speakin' of which…where_ is  _here, exactly?_

The blonde stopped, turning her gaze to the grills where the light was coming from. She stepped closer, her eyes widening in realization as she saw the polished shoes of the orchestra members through the slits. That's right! She had hidden the keys in the  _orchestra pit_ —someone must have accidentally kicked them down here when the instruments were being set up earlier! The musicians she could see continued to play with a look of utmost concentration on their faces, paying attention to cues from the Music Director, and more importantly…totally oblivious to the fact that Charlotte was watching them from a room beneath the orchestra pit.

A room that, as far as she knew, shouldn't exist.

Olaf certainly hadn't mentioned it in his tour…had he?

Temporarily pushing aside her curiosity now that she had her keys back—not to mention that another second spent here was another second that Krupke's foot wasn't being treated—the blonde decided to check if her phone had a signal. She reached into her pocket…only to have her fingers brush against nothing but fabric.

Wait…hadn't she been holding it in her hand earlier?

"Oh, come on!" Charlotte exclaimed, ignoring the aching in her throat and exasperatedly throwing her hands into the air as she cast her gaze to the heavens. "First I lose the keys, then I lose myself…and now I lose my  _phone?!_  Why?!"

Thank god the orchestra was still playing. She could only imagine how freaked out they would be if they suddenly heard a voice coming from nowhere.

"…Looking for this?"

Like that.

Eyes as wide as Tiana's gumbo pots, Charlotte's mouth opened and the newcomer lunged at her in one fluid, lightning-fast motion, a hand clamping over her mouth to stifle the shocked shriek that threatened to escape from her throat. Icy blue eyes filled her vision, imploring her to remain calm and to  _not_  scare the living daylights out of the orchestra above them. Her heart thundered wildly in her chest as she forced herself to get a grip, quickly nodding her head to signal that she wouldn't scream now.

The newcomer immediately jerked their hand away as if burned and stepped back, allowing Charlotte to finally get a good look at her rescuer. A girl with platinum blonde hair stood in the dim light of the room, her bangs haphazardly slicked back— _frosted, more like_ , Charlotte thought distantly—in a wild look that contrasted nicely with the neat braid hanging over her left shoulder. The girl was taller than her by give or take two inches, and was dressed in the typical all-black attire of the tech crew, a flashlight hanging from her belt. Her skin was paler than Charlotte's, and those icy blue eyes regarded her warily, as if she had heard the screaming from earlier and still wasn't entirely sure she'd do it again.

She probably heard it. The blonde had been screaming loud enough to wake the dead.

Charlotte blinked as recognition finally settled in. "Oh, wait a second…I know you." She almost said 'You're the Ice Queen!' but decided against it; Tiana's chiding words ringing in her ears. "What was your name again? El…Ellie…Elfie…Elpha…ba?"

The girl gave a weak smile. "It's Elsa, actually."

"Oh, that's right!" the blonde smacked her forehead with her free hand, giving her rescuer an apologetic look. "I'm really, really sorry! It's just that you hardly talk to me and Jane, so—"

"No, really, it's fine," Elsa said hurriedly, holding out a  _very_  familiar-looking device. "I found this when I was following your…screaming earlier. You're lucky—I almost accidentally stepped on it."

Charlotte once again fought the urge to squeal in delight as she eagerly took the device. "My phone! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Elsa! You're my hero!"

The taller girl blinked at her, looking stunned. Charlotte, for her part, didn't notice since she had already crossed the room to pick up her fallen flashlight after sticking her phone back in her pocket. Thankfully, nothing had broken and she gingerly brushed off the dust from when it had rolled away. Suddenly realizing the state of her own dusty appearance, the blonde needed but a quick once-over before she started lamenting on what her friends would say if they saw her now.

" _Ooh_ , and dust stands out on black, too! I must look like a hobo now! Why can't the crew wear somethin' that ain't gonna show—"

A polite cough pulled her out of her thoughts and she turned to see Elsa standing in the doorway, flashlight in hand and fiddling absently with her braid as her cool stare bore into hers. "We have a show, remember? And Jane is in near-hysterics over the fact that you're missing…Why  _did_  you leave your post, anyway? "

"That's right, I forgot to tell her!" Charlotte moaned as she followed the techie back into the corridor, making sure to stay close so she wouldn't get lost again. "Krupke tripped in the backroom and his ankle was bruised somethin' fierce! I got him to the boys' dressin' room, but there's nothin' there that can help him. I was lookin' for my keys earlier so I could open the office and get the first aid kit, but I couldn't remember where I put 'em!"

Elsa briefly glanced at her as they walked, a frown on her fair features and her blue eyes strangely cautious. "And you hid them back there?"

"No, I hid 'em in the orchestra pit, but someone must've accidentally kicked 'em down here." Charlotte's eyes narrowed suspiciously as realization dawned upon her yet again, poking Elsa's arm and earning a visible flinch in response. "Hey…What  _is_  that room? Why is it there? And how'd you find me? How are you even— _Are_  you leadin' us to the backroom?"

The taller girl suddenly stopped, almost causing Charlotte to bump into her. Her brow was furrowed in confusion as she bit her lip, obviously contemplating something. Oh! Maybe an explanation?

"You…were in the backroom?" she finally asked anticlimactically.

Charlotte nearly stomped her foot in frustration, feeling cheated. "Why, of course! I was lookin' for the keys there and wandered a bit—okay, maybe more than a bit—farther than I intended, and somehow ended up in that room!" Her lips puckered in what Tiana liked to call her 'thinking face', eyes narrowing in suspicion again. "What? Didntcha go through the same way?"

Elsa exhaled softly through her nose, her jaw set as if she had finally made up her mind over…whatever it was she was thinking about. She suddenly whirled on Charlotte, blue eyes hard as the ice the blonde had likened them to and almost burning in the darkness. The techie's face was close, and it was only then did she notice the light dusting of freckles on her nose. Charlotte's short-lived surprise over this discovery dissipated just as soon as it had arrived, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck rising and the temperature seeming to drop around them.

If Elsa was trying to be intimidating, she certainly hit the nail with that one. Charlotte rarely spoke to the girl and only caught brief glimpses of her even though she was the Stage Manager. Despite that, the impression she had gotten was that of a girl who was socially awkward—or in most cases,  _cold_ —with people outside of the crew, treating actors, musicians and directors alike with formal rigidity and obvious unease, earning her the nickname 'Ice Queen' by those who were particularly offended. Tiana chided her for accidentally using it sometimes when she forgot the girl's name, saying that it was rude unless Elsa herself was okay with it.

In fact, compared to her usual unease around others, it was nothing short of shocking that Elsa had spoken so much to her at all. (Then again, she was  _technically_  a part of the crew…right?) But now… _now_ , she was witnessing a whole other side to this girl. No matter what words the Tiana in her head was saying,  _this_  was the Ice Queen she was dealing with—the Ice Queen that some of her fellow actors would grumble about and glare when she wasn't looking.

And Charlotte couldn't help but feel a little scared.

"Listen close, and listen well," Elsa began quietly, her voice cold and easily heard in the silence of the corridor, broken only by the distant beginnings of "America" from the direction they had come from. "Even though you won't be the Stage Manager for the next musical—of that, I can guarantee—currently, as of now, at this moment…you are part of the crew. Despite what Kristoff thinks, that is what you are: a techie. And as such, there is an oath that you must swear—an oath that  _all_  members must swear. Although you won't be one for much longer, the crew will still see it as binding, even  _if_  you return to being an actor."

Charlotte swore she saw winter in her eyes—a cold tundra of icy blue swirling with snowflakes and hail, reflecting off the meager light provided by their flashlights.

"As clichéd as this sounds…what happens in the tech crew,  _ **stays**_  in the tech crew. Whatever you see, whatever you hear, it is  _not_  to be shared outside of the crew."

In spite of the absolute seriousness in which the phrase was uttered, the cliché got to her. After a moment of stunned silence, she couldn't help but giggle, even if it  _was_  laced with nervousness. "Ooh, good one, Elsa! You guys ain't doin' anythin' illegal, are you? Like drug dealin' or murder, like the ritual sacrifice sorta thing? 'cuz…if you are…I…can't…"

Wrong move. Those eyes hardened further, becoming a blizzard.

Okay, she really had to stop with all the metaphors. Elsa was scary right now. No need to poke the polar bear with a stick.

"Charlotte." She had never heard her name hissed before…and she didn't like it one bit—it felt disgusting and wrong. "I… _we_  had hoped to avoid this, given your situation, but it seems there is no choice. Can you swear that  _whatever you find, whatever you see_ —be it that room or these corridors—you will  _not_  breathe a word to your friends  **or**  your family? And that should you ever feel the need to do so, you'll check with Mr. North first?"

_Oh my god, what's up with all the secrecy? What in the world does she expect me to find? This…This ain't like some Illuminati stuff, is it?! L—Like a freakin' cult, even?! Or the Mafia?! Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god—_

"Uh…sure?" The frown on Elsa's face deepened. "I mean, yeah! I swear I won't blab about tech crew stuff to anyone without askin' Mr. North! Not even Tia!"

_Wait…can I really do that?_

The techie's eyes searched hers intently, like a scientist inspecting an organism beneath their microscope, or a snow leopard confronting a threat to its survival…or even a god deciding the fate of a mortal life in the palm of her hand. Just when Charlotte didn't think she could take the intense scrutiny any longer, Elsa finally stepped out of her personal space, sighing quietly as her shoulders sagged just a teeny bit, as if in defeat. "Good. Now that we have that settled, here comes the hard part… _One of them_ , anyway. Consider it a test of your oath."

She abruptly resumed walking again, and Charlotte hurried to catch up. The taller girl's sudden increase in pace was understandable—they'd dilly-dallied enough as is, and Officer Krupke wasn't getting any better.

"So…what's the hard part?" Charlotte ventured to ask, noticing for the first time that they were gradually sloping downwards. So she  _had_  been underground…

Elsa surprised her by suddenly ducking into another corridor to their right—something she wouldn't have noticed unless her flashlight shone directly on it. Yet, the platinum blonde moved instinctively, as if she had the whole place mapped out and knew it like the back of her hand. Where were they going?

"Hey, does this way  _really_  lead to the backroom? 'cuz after that, we gotta unlock the office and then get to Krupke."

Charlotte continued to follow her rescuer through twists and turns she hadn't thought possible for the theater section of the school to contain.

"Even better," was Elsa's reply as they finally reached a ladder fastened to the wall, voices faintly drifting down to them from somewhere above. "A shortcut."

"Wait…what?"

Her icy blue eyes gleamed in the darkness, caution within them once more. "Remember the hard part I mentioned? The crew already knows, but you have to keep quiet about this. You swore an oath, and I do not think you would relish facing the consequences of breaking it."

And with that grim reminder, Charlotte blinked, peering up the ladder in an attempt to catch a glimpse of where they were heading. There were faint pinpricks of light that she could make out, vaguely in the shape of a trapdoor or something, but that was just about it. They must be close to the auditorium if she could hear people talking…but where?

"Now come on. We only have one scene until it is  _absolutely_  imperative that Officer Krupke makes an appearance."

* * *

It would be difficult to check  _all_  of Elsa's usual haunts, especially with a show going on, but the few they  _had_  gone to yielded no sign of the platinum blonde. Charlotte's purse was still tucked among the crew's backpacks in one of the practice rooms, so at least that meant she was still in the school somewhere. They checked the boys' dressing room next to see if either Elsa or Charlotte had returned and would be treating Officer Krupke's bruised ankle.

No such luck. None of the girls were present and Sanders—nicknamed Sandy—was anxiously moving about the room, searching for something to ease the pain. His normally sleepy-looking eyes were bright and frantic as he turned a spiky-haired head toward the doorway, sparing a brief wave before resuming his search. Olaf, of course, was immediately fascinated by the dark shades of blue and black marring the actor's skin as they entered the room. The boy was always a bit weird like that. Kristoff, for his part, merely cringed at the sight, offering a sympathetic look.

The actor's name was actually Adam; a relatively nice guy with broad shoulders and a head of shaggy, shoulder-length brown hair that had been tamed back into a very short ponytail for his role. He had a crooked nose from a fight with Gaston years back, and his cerulean eyes betrayed the pain he was feeling as he offered the two of them a tight smile. "Kristoff. Olaf. Are those Jets still stirrin' up trouble in the streets? And the Puerto Ricans, too?"

Adam was also known for really getting into his roles. His biggest case was when he performed as the Beast from  _Beauty and the Beast_  in the school's fall play three years ago. Kristoff and the others hadn't been there for it, but according to some of the older actors, Adam had pretty much been one with the Beast. His appearance had been disheveled and haggard; his hair unkempt and in need of a trim, falling over his eyes; his arms and legs seemingly hairier than normal. His voice had been rough, almost like a growl, and he even bared his teeth back in a snarl whenever he had gotten angry, which was often, considering his  **much**  shorter temper back then. Even with Adam's tall height, he had slouched; hands always seemingly curled into claws, with longish fingernails, to boot.

To this day, the Beast had been his most well-known role; even earning him the nickname 'Beast' by the older actors and his closest friends.

"You'll have to get back out there soon, Officer," Kristoff played along, trying to ignore the way Olaf was staring at the actor's foot as if it were a new specimen. "How are you holding up?"

"It hurts like a bitch, kiddo," Adam grunted, somehow managing to ignore Olaf as well. "I can't chase after those hoodlums like this! At the least, I need an ice pack to tide me over. The runt's been lookin' fer a while, but I don't think he'll find anythin'."

The techie in question scrunched up his shoulders in determination and redoubled his efforts in the background, short legs scurrying to yet another corner of the room.

"Whoa…It's so weird-looking! I wanna touch it!"

"Olaf, stop that! Don't poke his foot; it'll hurt!"

Kristoff sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose at the inevitable headache from dealing with his best friend's eccentric ways. "You haven't seen Elsa or Charlotte, have you? Don't answer that; of course you haven't. If you had, they'd be here already."

"Elsa's not around?" the actor rumbled as he furrowed his bushy brow, a surprising amount of concern evident in his deep voice. "Is she alright?"

"She went to go look for Charlotte since that idiot forgot to tell everyone where she was going," the blonde explained with a frown as he crossed his arms. "I swear, that girl is so selfish, only thinking about herself. How in the world does Tiana put up with her?"

For all his dislike towards actors, Tiana was among the few exceptions, along with Adam. Food—and  _incredibly amazing_   _food_ , at that—was always a plus in his book.

"Who knows? I'm certain that Charlotte has the capacity to rise to the occasion," Adam said with a shrug of his shoulders, abandoning his Officer Krupke persona. "After all, there are more to others than meets the eye."

_Oh, yeah. Definitely._

He had lived and breathed his role for the past few months, so Kristoff was more than a little shocked to see the actor… _not_  acting as the incompetent police officer for once. As weird as Adam's acting tendencies already were, this was even weirder. Or maybe he was just used to weirdness and normalcy was surprising to him.

He shared food with his dog Sven, for one, and often talked in a goofy voice to pretend that Sven could answer him back. Adam's quirks were probably nothing compared to Kristoff's.

_And_ I'm _not even the biggest weirdo here._

"Geez, you and Elsa seem to like clichés, don't you?" Kristoff grumbled, shaking his head.

"Yes…they certainly provide some comfort for the broken. It's nice sometimes to think that love can truly conquer all," Adam chuckled, his eyes gleaming with something the techie couldn't quite place. "Beauty is found within…and there is nothing to fear but fear itself…isn't that right, Elsa?"

_Wait,_ what's  _being broken? And Elsa's not even he—_

"…Adam? God, that looks terrible," Kristoff heard a familiar, melodic voice call out as he glanced behind him in surprise. A hidden panel on the floor had been pushed back and Elsa was climbing out of it, a grimace on her face as she saw the state of the actor's foot. Charlotte followed a few seconds later, a deer-in-the-headlights look plastered on her curiously dust-covered face. Noticing this, Olaf hurried over to help her up before sliding the hidden panel back into place.

"Do you need a warm hug right now?" he asked in genuine concern as the blonde kept opening and closing her mouth like a fish, eyes so comically wide, Kristoff was actually worried they might fall out of her head. "I don't know how much you've seen, but I promise we can explain later."

Charlotte continued to stare around the room, as if she couldn't quite believe it.

_Damn. I had hoped we could've kept these actors out of it…_

"Okay, Charlotte…Don't freak out or anything, but I'm gonna give you a hug right now. Hugs help calm people down. Not that I don't think you're not calm, but you're sorta scaring me with that fish look you've got going on."

Olaf had impeccable timing, it seemed. The moment his arms wrapped around Charlotte's petite frame, the girl's eyes fluttered closed and she fainted, her body going limp.

" _Great_ , just what we need right now!" Kristoff exclaimed, pulling at his hair in frustration as Sandy rushed over to help Olaf set their Stage Manager on the floor. "Is there anything  _else_  that could possibly go wrong?!"

Elsa flicked his forehead. "You're a techie, not an actor. Don't be so melodramatic," she chided, ignoring his yelp of pain as she bent down to retrieve a set of keys that Charlotte was clutching in her hand. "And everyone knows that you shouldn't ask that question."

Adam chuckled from his chair. "She has a point, you know. You're practically begging for another accident to occur."

_Well, I guess I'm not getting any help here._  Kristoff shot him a glare, only for it to fade when another grimace crossed the actor's face. "Elsa, are you gonna do something about this guy's foot, or what?"

He saw her bite her lip, glancing at the keys in her hand before abruptly turning her head in the direction of the auditorium. Kristoff pursed his lips into a tight frown as he too caught snippets of the music playing.

_Shit, even if we run to the office, there's no telling if we'll make it or not._

Icy blue eyes flicked over to meet his, and he blanched as he suddenly realized what it was Elsa intended to do.

"…Are you sure about this?"

She curtly nodded. Once.

"It's…sort of my job, remember? And as clichéd as it sounds, the show must go on."


	3. So It Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right now, it's Elsa's sophomore year, and this story's gonna be a bit long, leading into her senior year. The previous chapter also contains a link in my notes to the story on FFnet, which at this time (2/17/15) has the prologue and 5 chapters up.
> 
> Kristoff's POV is a bit biased, so to any actors reading this, I apologize if you feel offended. The cause will be revealed later.

_Chapter 2: So It Begins_

**-x-x-x-**

_"People trust their eyes above all else—but most people see what they wish to see,  
or what they believe they should see; not what is really there."_

* * *

Kristoff wasn't sure how they managed to do it, but the rest of the show proceeded without any further problems.

Adam had been escorted by Elsa back onstage, scowling at the actors as he settled into his Officer Krupke role once more. He walked with a barely-noticeable limp as he absently twirled his nightstick with practiced ease; the only sign of any pain manifesting in his flared nostrils. Charlotte, on the other hand, had promptly woken up after Kristoff took off his boots and waved his smelly sock in her face. Thankfully, Sandy had managed to clamp a hand over her mouth before she could scream, though Elsa had dryly told them it wasn't necessary.

Whatever that meant.

Jane had been overcome with relief when they quietly snuck backstage, of course, but Kristoff hadn't felt like yelling at her again. Or in other words…a punch to the arm from Olaf had effectively killed whatever he was going to say before it even had the chance to leave his mouth.

The set pieces had been moved without a hassle, no lines had jerked out of control when they flew pieces in or out for a scene change, no props had been lost, no costumes had been torn, and perhaps most importantly, no one else had accidentally hurt themselves.

Or wandered into places they weren't supposed to.

"As a crew member—even temporarily—she technically has clearance to use the network," Aladdin reminded him as he paused in sweeping the stage to lean on his broom, smirking. "She was going to find out about it eventually, Kris."

The audience had left the auditorium to go mingle with the actors and musicians in the hallways outside, leaving the crew to raise the majestic red curtain and proceed with sweeping the stage, cleaning the aisles, and putting away the set pieces. Most of them were sweeping, with the rest in the back or the other rooms, storing pieces and props away. Naturally, of course, Charlotte and Jane had gone off to meet with their friends instead of staying behind to help. They probably wouldn't have contributed much anyway, what with the both of them being frazzled enough for the evening from all of their hysterics.

_You'd think that the difficulties of acting would've taught them that things happen unexpectedly. Just because you don't usually see them doesn't mean that they can't happen._

Kristoff scowled from his favorite spot on the locking rail, crossing his arms over his chest. "I was counting on her pampered lifestyle to keep her away. And for the most part, it worked! She's leaving the crew after this year, so…what's the point?"

"She may be spoiled by her father, but Charlotte has a good heart," Kida said as she knelt to sweep one of the dust piles the techies had left around the stage onto a dustpan. "Even if she will not be working with the crew anymore, I do not think she would go around telling her friends. Especially if  _Elsa_  was the one who made her promise to keep it a secret."

"Where  _is_  our dear Ice Queen, anyway?" Milo asked amiably, his voice echoing slightly in the auditorium as he and Lewis made their way from the tech booth to the first row in front of the stage. The younger of the two immediately plopped down in one of the seats, releasing a huge yawn as he stretched his arms over his head.

"I saw Elsa heading for the dressing room right after the show, most likely to check on the state of Krupke's foot," Kida answered as she walked over to dump the pile into a garbage can one of the techies had dragged out earlier. "Charlotte and Jane are with her now, I believe. I also saw them heading in that direction not too long ago."

 _Wait…Charlotte and Jane? What the hell are_ they  _doing?_

Lewis yawned again, prompting the brunette sitting beside him to ruffle his spiky blonde hair. "You should probably go home now, little guy. We can take it from here."

"I can't…just yet," the younger boy said tiredly, aiming a half-hearted frown at Milo as he fixed his hair. "I have to wait for Mr. North…so I can give a full report on our lighting cues."

Aladdin arched an eyebrow, his brown eyes filled with concern. "Was something wrong with the lights?"

"Well…no. I just suddenly thought of a new sequence that could vastly improve the Rumble scene and—"

Kristoff chuckled, unable to keep the grin from forming on his face as he stepped away from the locking rail to join his fellow techies milling about the stage. "Lewis,  _relax_. We only have one more show to go, and you're both doing perfectly fine. I don't think we really need to make any more changes to our cues."

The younger boy adjusted his glasses to keep them from sliding down his nose, his blue eyes filled with a strange blend of sleepiness and excitement. "But if there's a chance that we could improve on something, we should take it! We should always aim for the top of our game and—"

" _Keep moving forward,"_  they all chorused, beating Lewis to his own mantra. "We know."

The tech genius' face reddened in embarrassment, earning a smattering of good-natured laughter from the crew. Milo clapped a hand on the boy's shoulder, offering to give Mr. North his notes so he could go home early. As the two talked about lighting and sound, the rest of the crew resumed their cleanup. Kristoff glanced around, suddenly noting the absence of a certain black-haired ball of sunshine and warm hugs. He walked over to Kida, who was dumping the last dust pile into the trash can.

"Since you seem to have eyes everywhere, have you also seen Olaf around? I could've sworn he was here at the start of cleanup."

"I do not know where he is now," the white-haired girl answered with a shrug of her shoulders, rolling her eyes at his jab. "However, Jane was speaking with him after the show. Perhaps she sent him on an errand?"

Kristoff snorted, crossing his arms. "What errand? She may be the Assistant Stage Manager, but—"

Kida narrowed her eyes at him, frowning as she placed her hands on her hips. "Kristoff, not all actors are as terrible as…as  **they**  are.  _Were_." His face darkened at the memory, and she sighed heavily at that. "At least try to be nice? Charlotte and Jane are good people—they would never try to hurt anyone on purpose, and most of the cast this year are the same. I understand your fears—and yes, we feel them too—but the best thing we can do right now is to leave the past in the past. There is no need to create unnecessary conflict."

The blond worked his jaw, trying to keep his hands from clenching into fists. "But actors—"

Electric blue eyes bore into his, matching the crystal necklace she always wore around her neck. "Do not forget, Kristoff Bjorgman.  _She_  was one too…and she still is, in her heart. I have heard her, as have you—as have all of us. Do you not think she wants to take to the stage once more?"

Kristoff's jaw snapped shut as Kida's words all but slapped him in the face. The tips of his ears grew hot in shame, and he saw her lips curl into a faint, satisfied smile at the sight of backing him into the proverbial corner.

"I…I'm going to check on Elsa. Maybe, uh…maybe Olaf is…y'know, somehow with her—Forget it, I'm heading this way." With that said, the blond abruptly turned on his heel, intending to stomp across the stage and head in the direction of the boys' dressing rooms.

"…Does Charlotte know?"

He barely made it three steps before Kida's quiet question stopped him in his tracks. A tense silence immediately descended upon the techies gathered as they paused in what they were doing, and Kristoff did not need to look back to know that all of their eyes were on him. Even Lewis, despite his tiredness.

Kristoff swallowed, licking his now-dry lips to wet them. The stage lights above suddenly felt unbearably warm.

"No."

There was a quiet, collective sigh of relief.

"She fainted right after Elsa brought her to the dressing room," he supplied further as he resumed walking. "She didn't see anything. And neither did Jane. Even if they swear not to tell, well…it's best if they don't see in the first place."

"What about Adam?" he heard Aladdin ask tentatively.

"…Elsa made up some excuse and bound his foot pretty tight with the material Sandy managed to find. I doubt he noticed anything through the pain she gave him."

It was a miracle the audience hadn't heard the actor's roar of pain while Kristoff, Olaf and Sandy tried to restrain him in his seat (or perhaps it was more of a miracle that Charlotte hadn't woken up to it).

Even so, Kristoff couldn't help but wonder if the shaggy-haired junior was fully aware of what had happened.

* * *

"I cannot thank you enough, Elsa."

The platinum blonde before him nodded once, still biting her lip as she wrung her hands anxiously. He saw her swallow hard, yet she did not open her mouth to speak, her icy blue eyes seemingly determined to look everywhere but at him. The actor sighed heavily, wiggling his injured foot to catch her attention, though he knew he didn't need to.

"See? I'm still fine. Don't worry so much—soon enough, people will think your hair is white instead of platinum blonde."

Her flinch did not go unnoticed, and Adam cursed inwardly for the unintentional slip.

"…You know I wouldn't have done it at all if we had more time, Beast," she said quietly before he could apologize for his blunder. "And…I hurt you. I put you through so much pain, just to—"

"The pain was necessary. You  _had_  to do it," the junior pointed out, his voice taking on the beginnings of a growl. "Just accept the fact that you helped me and leave the matter at that! My foot looks a lot better thanks to you—there's no need for any guilt or worry over  _how_  it happened."

"…I could've  _hurt_  you." Elsa whispered, her eyes finally rising to meet his. She looked so vulnerable, so scared—her eyes undoubtedly imagining the  _far_  lighter shade his hair had been, once upon a time. Not for the first time, the actor felt the stirrings of that dark rage, but he forcefully stifled it. There was no use for it here. Even so, Adam wished he could reach out and take her hands in his; to reassure her that he was fine now, that he was right here…but he couldn't. Hands were off limits when she got like this, and the actor knew when not to overstep his bounds.

So he threw a metaphorical rock over that boundary instead.

"Don't get so cocky, Ice Queen. You'll always be little more than a twig in my eyes," Adam huffed, even as his lips twitched into a broad grin, showing his teeth. "A gust of wind—let alone a solid punch from  _me_ —could easily bring you down. Fragile as ice, I'd say."

Elsa looked taken aback for a moment before her eye twitched, the ghost of a tentative smile dancing across her own lips. "That depends. Ice can be stronger than ten, no…a  _hundred_  men. What good will your muscles do you then, Beast?"

"My muscles are useful; Belle can vouch for that…but I know I could cut through that ice, cold and clear. It certainly has a frozen heart worth mining…for a twig."

Neither of them liked to  _seriously_  consider an actual  _fight_ , but that didn't stop them from joking about it.

"…A twig? Seriously?"

"A twig both foul and fair, yes. You've always been a scrawny little thing, and knowing you, you'd probably resort to a plethora of dirty tricks just to make up for your… _twiggyness_."

"Other people call that  _strategy,_  Beast. Something  _you_  never seemed to learn, preferring to barrel into things head-on like the animal you are," the platinum blonde snapped, her lips curled into a mock scowl. "And must you compare me to a twig? I  _know_  that I've grown, at least. Isn't there something better, more refined, like—"

"Oh, I'm sorry, did you mean like an icicle? A very thin, transparent, weak little icicle that could easily snap in half if I so much as poked it?" He arched a bushy eyebrow, cerulean pools reflecting his delight in riling her up.  _"…With a twig?"_

Elsa's eye twitched, as did her scowl. Although, Adam suspected the latter was quickly starting to lean more towards genuine.

" **No** …but a  _very_   _pointy_   _icicle_  that could pop those muscles of yours like a balloon and expose you for the fool you are."

The actor narrowed his eyes, his grin turning wicked as he growled, "You would have to be a fool to attack a beast."

"Are you implying that the Ice Queen is a mere jester?"

A moment of silence passed before Adam snorted loudly, failing to hold back in his laughter as Elsa giggled along with him, her smile hidden behind a hand, and any trace of tension from earlier now gone. They didn't mean a single word—God help them the day  _that_  ever happens—opting to enjoy in the camaraderie that accompanied their bantering. Still grinning, he held out a hand and she readily took it, helping him to his feet. "You are  _such_  a dork, Frosty," he said as he hobbled over to retrieve his jacket, shaking his head in mock dismay.

"And you're an incorrigible ass."

"Now if you're going to compare me to an animal, I think I'd prefer—"

There was a knock before the door to the dressing room suddenly swung open.

* * *

"I still can't believe you fainted, Lottie," Tiana said with a shake of her head, a tinge of worry in her chocolate-brown eyes in light of what Jane had just mentioned to her as she slipped on her coat. "Are you eating properly? And I don't mean 3 meals a day consisting of powdered donuts and other junk food. You know that any of those in excess is—"

"—is bad for me, uh-huh. Same with your  _sinfully delicious_  beignets, which I swear, will have folks swoonin' in their seats from here to Corona! But really, I've heard it all before, Tia!" the blonde said with a dismissive wave, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms. "No need to get your boxers in a bunch, girl! Heaven  _knows_  you're already stressed out enough from all those jobs, and with  _actin'_ , too…"

"Lottie, the appropriate term is 'knickers', not 'boxers'."

"Well, ya gotta be wearin'  _somethin'_ , right?" Charlotte giggled at her own joke, earning a sigh from both her best friend and Jane.

"You need to stop hanging around Anna," Jane muttered as she shook her head in dismay, even as she failed to hide the smile on her face. "I swear, that girl is corrupting you."

"Oh, Anna corrupts everyone she meets, hon. Too bad she couldn't be in the show this year 'cause of her grades and transferrin' in so late—that girl is such a sweetiepie." Charlotte suddenly smiled brightly, clapping her hands together as she turned to Tiana, bouncing on her heels excitedly. "Ooh, Tia, Tia! Can you make some of your homemade pies this weekend? I don't care which, but can you? Please, please, please,  _pleeeeaaaasssseee?_  I'm havin' a cravin' here!"

"Alright, alright…just settle down, Lottie. Maybe I'll even make some of those 'sinfully delicious' beignets, hm?" the dark-skinned girl said with a fond smile, trying not to laugh as she gathered her purse. Her brow furrowed. "But seriously, though…Are you alright? What brought about the fainting spell in the first place?"

Charlotte froze, wringing her hands as she desperately tried to think of something to answer. Icy blue eyes flashed in her mind, a frosty voice leaving icicles in its wake.

 _"Can you swear that_ whatever you find, whatever you see _—be it that room or these corridors—you will not breathe a word to your friends_ _ **or**_ _your family?"_

Lying to Tiana never felt right. She was capable of lying to her, make no mistake of that, but the guilt afterwards would usually plague her for nights…and she liked having a good night's sleep. Charlotte inhaled sharply, suddenly realizing that her lips had puckered into her 'thinking face.' A quick glance told her that Tiana had an eyebrow arched, her lips pulled into a slight, suspicious frown.

"I, uh…was just overwhelmed by all the runnin' around. Y'know, backstage emergency and all!"  _There! That's kinda true, ain't it?_

"Speaking of which, where  _did_  you go?" Jane asked, crossing her arms as she joined the frowning party with Tiana. "This place isn't big enough to the point where even the techies came back empty-handed. Except for the…Ice Queen, was it?"

_Ooooh, this place is bigger than you think, hon._

"Her name is  _Elsa_ , Jane. Just because Gaston and the others call her as such, doesn't mean you should, too."

"I honestly didn't know—she hardly talks to the cast, if at all."

The blonde swallowed as her friends talked, twiddling her thumbs as she tried to think of a way out of this. Tiana was getting more suspicious, and now Jane was joining her!  _Why are y'all gangin' up on me?! Didja plan this ahead, or somethin'?! Did Elsa put y'all up to this just to test me?!_  she thought frantically as she took a step back, out into the hallway—

" _Oof!_  Hey, when did this person get he—Oh! Hi, Charlotte!"

—and right into the path of a certain black-haired ball of sunshine.

As they both stumbled back a bit from the collision, Charlotte froze yet again. Her gaze took in black clothes, his hand giving a little wave, the sunny grin on his face, the friendliness in his dark eyes, and his mouth moving, saying something that might have been a greeting and her name.

Olaf.

Olaf was here.

Quite by accident, and he probably had no idea what's going on, but  _Olaf was here_. Right now. Right when she would've been fervently wishing upon all of the stars in the sky for a distraction. Any distraction. Heck, even an eternal winter if that's what it took.

Charlotte tried not to grin too widely—a kid named Chester or something did that back in kindergarten, and now his face was stuck in that position…or so she had heard. She must not have been trying hard enough, because the techie suddenly dropped his hand, looking concerned—and more than a little wary—again, just like the moments before she fainted in the dressing room. "Um, Charl—"

"Olaf! There you are!" the blonde exclaimed just a  _little_  too loudly as she bounced over to him, with Jane and Tiana stepping out to see what was going on.  _"You have to help me! They're askin' 'bout where I went durin' the show!"_  she whispered frantically, covering up their conversation by throwing her arms around him in a brief hug, which he reciprocated happily.

And in a louder voice, "Didntcha say you liked warm hugs? Tiana and Jane like 'em, too!"

Not exactly a lie. She could roll with that.

"Lottie, don't think that—Oof!" Tiana was interrupted when the boy nearly picked her up in a bear hug despite his shorter height. She smiled all the same, patting his shoulder. "My, aren't you a hugger?"

"Kristoff says I should stop doing it to people, but I can't help it. Hugs are just so nice and warm! Everyone needs them!" Olaf said brightly as he released her to give Jane the same treatment. "Unlike him, Elsa doesn't mind…sometimes. Besides, everyone needs a hug now and then! Or else you'll end up like grumpy Mr. Ego!"

"Well, I can't argue with that," Tiana said with a small laugh as he set a flustered-looking Jane down. "Just be careful, okay? There are some people you just shouldn't hug, or else you'll get hurt."

Olaf grinned broadly, seemingly happy with her answer despite the brief flicker of something in his dark eyes. "Well, it's a good thing I hugged Charlotte, or else she would've fallen down and hit her head earlier."

 _OLAF! You're bringin' back their suspicion again!_  Charlotte shrieked in her head, immediately composing an overly fake smile as both girls looked at her in unison, crossing their arms expectantly. Tiana cocked an eyebrow, jutting out her hip and pursing her lips to form what the blonde liked to call her 'Don't you dare lie to me now' pose. Her eyes darted to Olaf, who merely smiled at her.

"I mean, you must have been tired after running all the way to the cafeteria, just to look for some ice," the techie continued, chuckling as his dark eyes gleamed knowingly. "It's a good thing Elsa thought about that, or else we'd all still be searching around this part of the building for you."

_I WAS SO WRONG ABOUT YOU, OLAF. Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou—_

Both Tiana and Jane blinked in surprise, with the former shifting out of her intimidating—at least it was to Charlotte—pose. The blonde nearly sighed in relief when her best friend smiled sheepishly, while the brunette opted for a more incredulous look.

"You?  _Running?_  Are you sure we're still talking about the same person here? The same Charlotte La Bouff?"

That part was technically true…

"Hey, now. Don't go underestimating Lottie."

Jane rolled her eyes, trying not to smile. All of a sudden, she snapped her fingers as if in realization, turning to face Olaf. "Oh, I completely forgot! Can you put the box with the mic packs I collected away in The Cage? Ariel was having problems with her costume and I had to go help her, but they should be on a table in the choir room."

"No problem, Cap'n!" the boy exclaimed, grinning as he saluted. "Oh, wait. I mean…Aye, aye, Cap'n!"

"Isn't  _Kristoff_  supposedly the Captain here?" an amused voice cut in, just as Olaf turned to run off on his errand. He happily exclaimed, "Belle!" as he flung his arms around the brunette bookworm in a tight hug, almost making her drop her flute case, her binder containing the show's music score, and…a bouquet of red roses? Giggling at his infectious energy, Belle reciprocated his hug as best as she could without dropping anything. "Should I be expecting a mutiny sometime soon?"

"Oh, yeah. He and Aladdin had a bit of a prank war going on and Marshmallow…well…" Olaf trailed off as he stepped back, gesturing to his hair as he chuckled.

"Pink really wasn't his color."

"Not at all."

Jane cleared her throat, looking expectantly at the techie even as she smiled in clear amusement, arching a delicate eyebrow. "I believe you're forgetting something?"

"Oh, right!" Olaf nodded to himself frantically, waving over his shoulder as he turned to go. "Well, bye Belle! I hope Adam likes the roses you give him!"

Charlotte arched an eyebrow as she watched the techie scurry down the hallway, turning her head to truly take in the bouquet Belle precariously balanced in her arms. Held together by a navy blue ribbon trimmed with gold, the roses were a deep, rich crimson, and their sweet scent drifted pleasantly to her nose. Her eyebrow traveled further just as Jane giggled, smirking knowingly as she arrived at the same conclusion. "If I recall correctly, red roses are generally associated with love and passion. A bold statement, indeed…Is there something you need to tell us, Belle?"

The brunette rolled her eyes at Jane's teasing, smiling even as her cheeks flushed a faint pink. "If I didn't know any better, it would almost seem as if you forgot Adam and I have been dating for  _almost_  two years now. And besides…he might not want other people to know this, but he secretly loves roses."

"But  _red_  roses?" Tiana pointed out, eyebrow arched and lips puckered ever so slightly to form what Charlotte liked to call the 'Are you sure about this?' look. "Well…as long as you don't fall in too deep, Belle. We're all still young, you know. Not everything is guaranteed, and…it's a great big world out there."

 _Why does she have to be so gosh darn serious about everythin'?_ Charlotte thought to herself, frowning childishly at her best friend, and in doing so, missed the sad half-smile on Belle's face.

The flute player's phone buzzed in her pocket, earning a tired sigh as she handed over the bouquet to Jane. "That's probably my older sister. Do you mind giving these to Adam for me? And please tell him I'm sorry I can't give it to him myself, especially with his injury and all, but—"

"Don't you worry 'bout a single thing, sugar!" Charlotte chirped, patting her shoulder reassuringly. "That sis of yours is one wicked, awful bitc—"

"I think that's enough, Lottie."

"Uh…well, you get what I mean, hon," the blonde said, grinning sheepishly in the face of Tiana's disapproving frown. "Your dashing Officer will get the roses, I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die!"

Belle blinked slowly, and  _something_  flickered in her eyes before she smiled tentatively. Charlotte furrowed her brow a little at that, but was quickly distracted when the brunette suddenly gave her a one-armed hug goodbye. "I really appreciate you two for doing this for me. I'll make it up to you later, I promise," she said after giving Jane and Tiana a brief hug as well, smiling as she turned to leave. "Have a good night!"

"You too, Belle!" Jane called after her.

"Even though your older sis is drivin' you, text us when you get home, okay?"

Tiana, ever the mother hen.

Feeling absolutely pooped from everything that happened so far, Charlotte merely settled for a wave when the flute player glanced back one last time to smile at Tiana's concern. Still feeling a little paranoid that her best friend would see through her ruse, the blonde wasted no time in enthusiastically ushering Jane toward the boys' dressing room, fawning over the roses all the while. They really  _were_  beautiful and at least to her, absolutely, incredibly—

"—romantic! Dontcha agree, Tia?" Charlotte gushed, clapping her hands as she walked with a bounce in her step. "Oh, how I'd  _love it_  if my prince brought me my favorite flower to cheer me up! And roses! Oh my goodness, roses are just  _soooooooo_  romantic! Those two are so  _cute_ , it makes me wanna melt into a puddle just thinkin' 'bout how gosh darn cute they are!"

The dark-skinned girl smiled at her enthusiasm as they approached the door. "I don't think 'cute' would be the best word to describe them as a couple, Lottie."

"The way they bicker sometimes reminds me of an old married couple, actually. But it's fascinating sometimes to observe Adam in particular when the two are together," Jane said as she nodded in agreement, raising a hand to knock. Their presence announced, she turned the knob and opened the door to the boys' dressing room. "He behaves just like a—"

Immediately, they were assaulted by the smell of cologne and a faint whiff of dirty socks and sweat. Noticing the presence of a nicer scent in the boyish air, Charlotte tilted her head in confusion when she caught the sudden sight of Elsa standing near the actor as he slipped his jacket on, smiling in a way she had never seen before. (Then again, the blonde hadn't seen much of her before, anyway…) Her icy blue eyes had softened, glimmering with amusement, and her cheeks were flushed from obvious laughter if her smile was anything to go by.

This Elsa was nothing like the Ice Queen Charlotte had glimpsed beneath the school.

"Now if you're going to compare me to an animal, I think I'd prefer—"

Adam stopped talking at the same time that Charlotte felt goosebumps dance along her arms as they stood hesitantly in the doorway. She shivered a little against the sudden cold, wondering whose great idea it was to put a vent near the door. Sure, the school's founder, Walter Whitmore, was known for his eccentricity—a trait definitely shared by his grandson Preston—but was it really too much to ask? The blonde hugged her arms close to her body for warmth, freezing with the light shirt she had on and wishing upon the stars—once again—for the school to stop being so gosh darn bipolar.

Just as quickly as the cold arrived, it disappeared, much to Charlotte's relief.  _Who cares what Tia says? I should wish on stars more often_ , she thought as icy blue eyes stared at them in lingering surprise before its owner instantly donned an expression of cold indifference. Adam, on the other hand, merely arched a bushy eyebrow questioningly at the three still standing in the doorway, a small smile on his face once he caught sight of the bouquet in Jane's arms.

"I'm afraid I'm already taken, Jane," the actor joked, easing away the awkward silence that had suddenly descended in the room. "As cute as you are—"

_Wait, he's droppin' character again?!_

"Th-These are from Belle, obviously!" the brunette exclaimed, rolling her eyes as she walked over to hand him the roses, cheeks faintly flushed from Adam's impromptu joke. He didn't do those often, as far as Charlotte was aware.

_Heavens, this night's sure been one weird thing right after the other…_

"She apologizes for not coming to see you after the show, but her older sister is already waiting outside, and…well, you know how that woman gets," Jane explained, smiling apologetically in Belle's stead.

"All too well," Adam murmured as the brunette took a step back, handling the bouquet delicately despite his large hands, and reverently running a finger through the silken crimson petals. "That woman is horrid, through and through…Not at all like Belle. By comparison, she is kind, gentle, warm, and compassionate. She is strong and unafraid; thoughtful and patient."

The actor's normally rough voice was uncharacteristically gentle and fond.

"Belle is the only one who could ever love a beast."

He closed his eyes briefly, raising the roses to his nose and breathing in their sweet scent.

"…I did not deserve her friendship, before."

Lowering the bouquet, Adam's eyes opened, revealing a melancholic cerulean as his lips pulled into a tired smile. He hadn't said anything further, but being a romantic at heart, Charlotte somehow knew what message his gaze held—the words left unsaid, but very much still there.

 _"I did not deserve her friendship,"_  he had said aloud.

 _"_ … _Nor her love,"_  is what those cerulean pools added, self-deprecation evident the more she pondered on how ridiculous the idea was. If his actions ever since the blonde stepped into this room were anything to go by, Adam loved Belle just as much as she loved him. Heck, he even abandoned his Officer Krupke persona! And for a guy who spent almost the entirety of his freshman year in high school living and breathing the Beast's role, as well as repeating the same sort of method acting in his sophomore year…that was saying something!

"Oh, Adam…Don't think like that," Tiana said gently, pulling Charlotte out of her thoughts. "Of course you deserve her."

The blonde rubbed at her arms, frowning slightly at the chuckle Adam gave at that. She wasn't the only one, it seemed—Elsa's icy blue eyes were narrowed and her jaw was set in obvious disapproval. She almost missed the way his gaze flicked for a split second in the platinum blonde's direction.

"I really don't." The way the actor said it reminded Charlotte of the way  _something_  had flickered in Belle's eyes earlier. Unlike Belle, however, Adam's sudden grin wasn't tentative, but content. "Regardless…thank you, Jane. And to you as well, Charlotte, for earlier. I appreciate the sentiments."

It took a moment before Charlotte realized he was actually thanking them. The fact that he wasn't acting as Officer Krupke  _and_  expressing gratitude threw her off a little. She quickly bounced back, however, feeling absolutely pleased with herself. "Why, it was nothin', Adam!" the blonde drawled, smiling. "I only did what needed to be done!"

"You could've at least  _told me_  first," Jane deadpanned beside her.

"Oh, hush, Jane. Details." Charlotte dismissed her friend's remark with a wave, her gaze landing on his foot, which was back in his shoe again. To her eternal embarrassment, she had fainted and still wasn't quite sure how the others had gotten him back onstage. "Your, uh…your foot sure looks a lot better than before. How does it feel?"

"It still hurts; just not as much," Adam said as he set the roses down on the counter so he could zip up his jacket, which he had been interrupted with earlier by their arrival. "I'm no stranger to fights, after all. I should still be fine for our last show tomorrow night. And besides…"

Releasing the zipper, his gaze fell on the platinum blonde standing stiffly nearby.

"If needed, Elsa will help me."

Their eyes met, and Charlotte saw a hint of fear flash in the icy tundra of the techie's gaze. The junior squared his jaw, his stance resolute as he stared her down. She saw his lips move, saying something much too quiet for her to hear, and Elsa responded with a quiet hiss of her own. Even from her position, the blonde could practically  _feel_  the metaphorical ice in the techie's oddly melodic voice, chilling the room. She shivered a bit, rubbing her arms again as goosebumps danced along her skin.

_Like I said, one weird thing right after the other. I ain't sure what's goin' on, but that 'Ice Queen' sure is back…Ooh, I'm even gettin' shivers!_

Elsa's arctic eyes flashed with anger at whatever Adam's response was; a strange juxtaposition from her earlier smile. That in itself was weird enough, as she didn't associate herself much—if at all—with the cast.

Charlotte saw the actor's lips twitch into what probably would've been a snarl if his slightly raised hackles, curling fingers and anxious stance were of any indication. The muscles on his neck were taut, and she was sure she almost heard the beginnings of a low growl rumbling from his throat. The blonde personally hadn't seen it for herself, but she knew of how deeply Adam had embraced the Beast's role in his freshman year.

…And right now, it seemed less like a silent standoff between Elsa and Adam, and more like a silent standoff between  **the Ice Queen**  and  **the Beast** —two metaphorical powers Charlotte was sure she wouldn't want to get between if a fight broke out.

 _Hands down, the weirdest night so far. It ain't always like this for the crew, is it?_ The blonde furrowed her brow as Adam sighed heavily, finally relaxing his stance.  _I should practice my singin' and actin' some more—I ain't cut out for bein' a member of the crew. At least with actors, I know what to expect._

In a surprising move, the actor reached out to pat Elsa's shoulder as he turned to go. But perhaps what was even more surprising was that Elsa  _let_  him. A cast member. An Ice Queen who didn't like non-techies intruding upon her personal space, let alone allowing them to touch her.

"I'll see you around," she heard Adam say gruffly to the techie as he walked over to where the three of them still stood in various degrees of confusion, dipping his head in farewell. "And to you ladies, as well. Thank you for your concerns."

His limp still wasn't too noticeable as he brushed past them, leaving Charlotte satisfied that he should be shipshape by tomorrow night. Realizing that Elsa was still in the room with them, she hazarded a quick glance in the platinum blonde's direction just as Tiana's phone buzzed with a text, likely a sign that her mother was here to pick her up. Elsa's expression remained one of cold indifference as she also headed for the door—her movements rigid and causing Jane to quickly back out of her way.

Before she could fully leave, however, all three of their phones buzzed at the same time. Tiana quirked an inquisitive eyebrow while they took out their respective devices and wordlessly read the message. It was from Mr. North, their Tech Director.

_"I hope you all didn't die on me tonight! If you didn't, then maybe I should do this more often. Ha-ha! I joke, I joke! If you're still alive, then meet me at Oaken's if you can—I know it's getting late, but I have an announcement I'd like to make in person. And maybe we could have a little tech crew after party and get a head start on the festivities, eh?_

— _N"_

Charlotte tried not to squeal in delight right then and there. She absolutely  _loved_  parties, even small ones.

"I could just imagine him laughing at us right now," a new voice broke through the silence, coming from the doorway.

"Well…fancy meeting you here, Christopher."

"It's  _Kristoff_ , Tiana," the techie corrected, his tone light in response to her teasing. Despite being a cast member, she almost had the burly blonde wrapped around her finger with her heavenly cooking, as far as Charlotte was concerned.

Then again, Tiana practically had  _everyone_  with her cooking, even Elsa. She was just that good. After all, the fastest way into anyone's favor was through their stomach.

"So…what do you think he'll make us do this time before he spills the beans?" Kristoff asked, completely ignoring Charlotte and Jane as he smirked at Elsa. "Russian roulette, or swimming in a tank full of piranhas?"

"I think dancing over a bed of hot coals while playing the Tetris theme on a bagpipe, and dodging throwing knives at the same time would be more suitable," Elsa responded with surprising ease, smiling slightly as her Ice Queen demeanor quickly faded in the presence of another techie. "Regardless of the challenge, I have a feeling Mr. North will be treating us for this one."

"He better! The old coot skipped out on us!" Kristoff grumbled, crossing his arms and ignoring the utterly confused looks angled in their direction throughout the conversation. "The announcement—what do you think it's about?"

"It's probably the reason why he couldn't make it tonight," Jane surprisingly piped up despite the boy's rudeness, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "If the timing for this wasn't early still, I'd wager it has something to do with the musical for next year…But why Wandering Oaken's?"

_Yeah, couldn't he have picked, y'know, a classier place? Like Lumiere's?_

"Mr. North is friends with the owner and can reserve an entire corner for the crew. Many of our outside meetings are conducted there," Elsa answered quietly, inclining her head in the direction of the stage as an indication for them to return to the others. Charlotte tried not to look too surprised at the fact that the slight smile was still on her face as she addressed them. Or rather, the fact that she even addressed them in the first place! After all, their conversation in those tunnels must have just been extenuating circumstances, right?

"That, and the cookies are second only to Mrs. North's. She only bakes them during holidays or special occasions."

"Ooh, Mrs. North and Tia would get along so well!" Charlotte giggled as they all began to walk, wondering faintly how much further she could press her luck with Elsa's increasing mystery regarding her weird behavior. The taller girl's words weren't  _quite_  as clipped like she expected them to be and she was actually  _talking_  with them, although that might be because a true crew member was here... "Have you known her for long?"

Kristoff snorted grumpily, but surprisingly, the platinum blonde ignored him in favor of answering her question, albeit hesitantly. "The Norths…don't live too far away from me. She'd sometimes visit with cookies and such, insisting that I need more sweets in my life."

"That's what I've been tryin' to convince Tia for years!"

Her best friend sighed heavily as they neared one of the doors leading into the auditorium. "Lottie, sweets are fine so long as you eat them in moderation. Or have you learned nothing from seventh grade?"

Charlotte froze in response, her face paling immediately.

… _Nuh-uh. Never again._

Kristoff didn't bother trying to stifle his snicker.

* * *

"Alright, settle down! Settle down, all of you!" Mr. North's booming voice commanded attention, albeit laced with a good-natured humor that took the edge off his demand.

Wandering Oaken's also served as a bar after 9:30, so the restaurant wasn't quite empty at the moment. The atmosphere was still rather calm and cozy with the rustic sort of theme, and Kristoff knew from experience with past meetings that the rowdier patrons hadn't yet arrived to make full use of the bar. As such, Nicholas North's voice carried easily throughout the quaint establishment, earning a few faint smiles from the regulars, and a chuckle from Oaken, who was manning the register.

The entirety of the tech crew—even Lewis, who had received permission from his foster parents to stay out late—ceased in their chatter, and grinned up at the Russian as he rose to his full height, easily towering over them from his spot at the head of the table. Their Tech Director's grin dwarfed any of theirs as he placed both hands on the table, his excited gaze sweeping over each of them in turn. The words 'Naughty' and 'Nice' tattooed on each of his forearms were visible, since he had his red flannel rolled up to his elbows.

"So…you all may be wondering why I've gathered you here tonight," Mr. North began, his grin widening slightly as his gaze fell on Aladdin. "But first…who's up for a little challenge?"

On cue, the black-haired boy gave a theatrically loud groan, audibly slapping his forehead and slumping exaggeratedly against his seat as the rest of the crew—with the exception of a confused Charlotte and Jane—tried to hold back their snickers at the display. "What do you want from us this time, North?" Aladdin asked in their stead, feigning horror even as his dark eyes shone with mirth. "Riding tricycles through flaming hoops? Or eating raw cookie dough in front of your wife?"

"Why, Al! How could you suggest such a thing?" Eugene—or Flynn, as he insisted everyone call him outside of the crew—exclaimed, dramatically placing a hand over his heart as if hurt by the idea. "Surely you don't think our dear,  _dear_ , North would be so cruel as to have us face the full brunt of that fearsome she-beast?"

"Mrs. North is no she-beast," Marshall rumbled, frowning disapprovingly at the dark-haired junior with the goatee. "She is a very nice and sweet lady."

"As sweet of a lady she is, hell hath no fury like Claudia North when you get in the way of her cookies," Aladdin said with shrug of his shoulders, smirking over at their Tech Director. "Isn't that right?"

"Ha-ha! It's almost like you've lived in my own house!" Mr. North exclaimed, his cheeks rosy as he laughed heartily, slamming a large hand down on the wooden table in his enthusiasm. "Now Claudia…You would not want to get on her bad side, no. However, I will keep challenge in mind for when you disappoint me!"

" **If**  we disappoint you, you mean!"

"Hah! Confident, are we, Fitzherbert? My tech crew must be the very best! Let's see how you'll fare this time!"

Tuning out the customary bantering for a bit, Kristoff glanced over at Elsa, sitting on the other side of Olaf, who was plopped in the seat to his right. She noticed his arched eyebrow and smirk, offering one of her own in return as she rose to his bait.

 _Dodging knives,_  her eyes seemed to say.

 _Piranha tank,_  he shot back.

"Bungee jumping while singing." Olaf casually interjected with a whisper, grinning broadly as the two of them snapped their heads in unison in his direction, smiles growing. Of course he would notice.

"—off nearest cliff while belting out 'Defying Gravity,'" Mr. North's voice grabbed their attention again, just as the entire table—even Charlotte and Jane—burst into a brief round of laughter, except for Sandy, who had never made a sound for as long as Kristoff knew him. Instead, the spiky-haired golden blond merely shook his shoulders with silent laughter. At least Wally, on the other hand, audibly laughed despite preferring not to talk too much, on account of being a late bloomer with his voice still cracking.

 _Damn it, Olaf...!_  Kristoff chuckled inwardly, shaking his head at the sight of the boy's smug smile.

"If you can manage to do that," their Tech Director continued as he gave them all a toothy grin. "then we talk, yes? Now, go on! Chop chop! The night isn't getting any younger!"

"But it  _is_  dark and full of terrors, old man!"

"Better not remind him of his age, Eugene," Aladdin stage-whispered horribly, throwing an arm around his friend's shoulders. "North remembers everything."

There was another round of laughter, the loudest of all coming from Olaf. A confused Lewis tapped Kida's arm, asking for an explanation about why it was so funny. Kristoff could see her tanned skin darken as she blushed, most likely thinking of a way for the 12-year-old genius to avoid the show…or at least until he was older. Maybe.

"Ha-ha! Just for that, I will give time limit!"

"How do you expect us to do that? Isn't the nearest cliff half an hour away?" Jim Hawkins, the newest member of the crew—Kristoff didn't count the two actors—asked as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat, his blue eyes appearing to challenge the Russian. The brown-haired sophomore still wasn't quite used to Mr. North's quirks, it seemed. He wasn't one for meetings, but he was a damn good mechanic and pretty handy with machines in general. Along with Lewis, Wally, and Milo, Jim was part of the crew's more  _technical_  department, drafting up and building or overseeing the mechanical special effects.

"Then bungee off the university's roof! You make do with what you can, boy!" their Tech Director answered, laughing heartily. "Why, when I was young, I would climb building because trees were too easy! Ha! And when building was not enough, I turned to cliff, with nothing more than two pickaxes and rope! Nothing could bring me down!"

 _A real mountain man, huh?_  Kristoff couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. Mr. North certainly looked like he could, with his muscled arms that somehow carried over to his old age.

"Are you sure  _you're_  not the one with delusions of grandeur, Mr. North?" Milo asked, smirking even as Kida lightly nudged his scrawny arm with her elbow in disapproval. Her own smile said otherwise.

"'Delusions of grandeur'? Ha! Perhaps, Milo Thatch, perhaps!" the Russian boomed as he stroked his long, white beard, a large grin forming on his face. "After all, I have big plans for our next musical. Big plans! Wonders galore!"

Well that certainly silenced everyone rather quickly. They never knew how long Mr. North would carry on, after all. Despite the promise of something big in store for them, the entirety of the crew solemnly stared at their Tech Director, waiting for him to give a name—a name that would either have them grinning like mad, or groaning as they once again questioned the sanity of their eccentric Tech Director.

Or both.

Nicholas North's grin shifted to that of a smirk, the corners of his eyes crinkling with mirth as he slowly leaned closer to them over the table, cupping a hand to his ear as if listening for something. His bright blue eyes carefully made contact with each crew member as he raised his other hand to hold a finger to his lips.

"Shhhh…Do you hear that?"

Kristoff hazarded a glance in Elsa's direction, catching sight of her lips curling into a pleased smile and the excited—albeit longing—gleam in her icy blue eyes. Figures she'd know what it is just from that.

_Don't stop dreaming that dream, Els. You'll reach it someday; I know it. Until then…we'll be here for you, okay?_

The techie's gaze softened, his brown eyes wistful as he fought to keep his mind from wandering down that particular lane in his memories. He barely heard their Tech Director's hushed whisper.

"Tell me, friends…Do you hear the people sing?"

* * *

Charlotte wouldn't stop excitedly flitting about every which way. Not only had she suddenly discovered the hidden gem that was Wandering Oaken's— _Oooooh, Tiana and Lumiere are gonna have some stiff competition!_ —but that jolly Tech Director had also revealed the musical for next year! Despite its deliciousness, her food had almost missed her mouth several times with how excited she was over the chance to perform again. Judging by the buzz of conversation around her last night, the techies were pretty excited about the next show, as well.

 _And they'll have a ton of roles that need fillin', too!_  the sprightly blonde giggled to herself as she hugged her textbooks closer to her chest.  _There's no way I_ won't  _get a part this time! No siree, take_ that  _Mr. Sebastian!_

"Ooh, Charlotte! Charlotte, wait up!" a familiar voice called amidst the light traffic of the school's hallway.

The blonde stopped, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she turned around, smiling broadly not only because of the musical, but because of the appearance of a smirking redhead slipping her way past other students. Teal eyes shone excitedly as Charlotte's freckled friend finally skidded to a stop before her, backpack almost whipping around from where it carelessly hung over one shoulder. Charlotte couldn't help but flinch a little at almost being struck, causing the redhead's smirk to grow.

"Sooooooooo…what's the good news?"

"Oh hush, Anna! What makes you think I have good news to share?" the blonde huffed, trying to frown…and utterly failing if her friend's arched eyebrow was of any indication. Or the twinkle in her eyes.

Anna laughed, one hand absently reaching up to lightly twist at one of her twin braids, draped over her shoulders. "Well for one thing…you can't stop smiling. Or  _moving_ , for that matter—oh, go ahead and keep bouncing around, I won't judge—so, being the clever little master sleuth that I am, I  _know_  for a fact that you're hiding something pretty good!"

The redhead stopped twisting at her braid, using the same hand to poke incessantly at Charlotte's forearm, still hugging her textbooks, as her teal eyes narrowed. "It's gotta be something big! So spill it!"

She came close to, with her smile growing and her mouth opening, ready to reveal their next musical. But at the last second, bright blue eyes flashed in her mind, along with a finger held up before lips, a smile stretching rosy cheeks flushed from mirth; other pairs discretely glancing in Jane's and her way, notably that of an icy shade of blue.

Wordlessly waiting, wordlessly watching, wordlessly wondering.

And Charlotte  _loathed_  always being underestimated. Tiana wouldn't be there to ward off every word, or patch up every bruise all the time, that she knew very well. A little  _too_  well, in fact.

 _That's not to say I can't give her a half-truth,_ the blonde thought to herself as she mentally shook thoughts of the crew, Mr. North, and freshman year away. _Anna may be a darlin' to be aroun', but that girl's too determined to give up once she sniffs somethin' fishy!_

"There'sgonnabelotsarolesinthemusicalnextyear!"

Of course, her excitement hadn't diminished in the slightest.

"Whoa! Slow down there, girl!" Anna laughed as Charlotte began hopping in place in earnest, cheeks hurting from the force of her smile. "Especially with that Southern drawl of yours, I have no idea what you just said!"

"Are ya makin' fun a' my accent, ya ginger she-devil?" the blonde somehow managed to tease back in her glee, intentionally thickening her words.

"What? No! Hey! Stop distracting me, Charlotte! That's not the point!"

"The point is that…that…EEEEEEIIII!" The blonde viciously hugged her textbooks even closer. "Oh, you're absolutely gonna  **loooooove**  it, Anna! There's gonna be lotsa roles that need fillin', so we gotta have a spot somehow! Ooh, this is our chance, hon! A chance to change our lowly roles!"

"A chance to be the lead?" By now, the redhead was hopping excitedly as well, teal eyes almost as bright as her smile.

"Hmm…that depends on who you'd consider the lead," Charlotte said as she managed to stop hopping at the weird look a passing teacher gave her. "I mean, you have three choices, hon. And even then, at least you'd be  _on the stage_  instead of with the crew or somethin'."

"Charlotte, you gotta tell me what's the musicaaaaaaaal…I need the advantage, damn it!" Anna whined, putting on her best pout as she stopped hopping to place both hands on her friend's shoulders. Her pout suddenly vanished, replaced by a concerned frown. "Wait, was being on the crew that bad?"

The blonde blinked, surprised at the sudden shift in their conversation. "Uh…'cept for that Kristoff Bjorgman, the crew ain't so bad. They treated me and Jane alright." She loosened her hold on her textbooks to free one hand, which she used to wave dismissively. "Pretty sure Waldo, or Wally or somethin' had a bit of a crush on me, but I introduced him to this nice Eva girl, and let me  _tell you_ …Those two are so adorkable! But  _heavens_ , gettin' 'em together was a lotta work!"

Anna snorted a bit in her laughter, managing a smirk in her friend's direction. "Don't worry about Kristoff. He may be an ass sometimes, but he's the biggest softie I know—always has been, ever since we were little. I'm pretty sure he has his reasons."

Charlotte sighed at that, but her smile returned within seconds. "Either way, I know for sure I ain't goin' back to the crew next year. I miss bein' on the cast soooooo much!"

_...Whoops._

Teal eyes gleamed with renewed determination. "So…what's the musical, Lottie?"

_Darn it, Anna!_

"Sorry, hon, but I'm sworn to secrecy," Charlotte said as she used her textbooks to bat Anna's hands off her shoulders, trying to think of a way out. "Heaven  _knows_  what the crew will do to me if I spill the beans…But why dontcha go to our last show tonight? See what level they're expectin' from you, and all."

The redhead looked conflicted for a moment before she visibly deflated. "But my grades—"

"Oh, hush. I'll getcha Tiana's chemistry notes," the sprightly blonde said with yet another dismissive wave. "If she catches me, don't be surprised if you get invited to a study group or somethin' soon. You need all the help you can get, transferrin' this late in the semester, and I doubt she'll let your stubbornness slide."

Charlotte was reminded of Olaf as Anna threw her arms around her in a bone-crushing hug, nearly lifting her off the floor. Unbeknownst to her, two pairs of eyes watched as she flailed around, struggling for breath while the redhead spewed words of gratitude and excitement.

* * *

"…See? What did I tell you?"

"You didn't tell me anything."

"Well, what did Kida tell you?"

Kristoff growled in annoyance as he ran a hand through his messy hair. He kicked at the locker he had been leaning on as he pushed off, heading to class with Olaf at his side. The sophomore's expectant gaze nagged at him from his peripheral as they maneuvered through the hallway's traffic. His backpack suddenly felt heavier, though he knew it was only the weight of what he was about to say.

"Alright…so Charlotte's not like  **them** ," the burly blond said at last, nearly grinding his teeth as he forced the words out. "At least for now. Anna's gonna make her trip up or something, just you watch…but I still think she should be kept on probation like we do with new members, but a little bit longer—keep an eye on her until we know for sure she won't blab when she leaves the crew. At least the network's easy, though."

Olaf scrunched up his eyebrows in confusion. "Easy? Hidden passageways in the school, underground tunnels all over Arendelle, and the existence of the Cave are considered  _easy_  secrets to keep?" he whispered incredulously.

"According to Elsa, she wandered into the passage from the backroom and somehow made her way to that room near the orchestra pit. After that, Elsa took her on the route back to the boys' dressing room. So…she's dipped her toes, at least." Kristoff scowled as they rounded a corner, their classroom within sight. "Hopefully, she won't go any further into the waters. She doesn't need to know how deep they run."

"I agree with you on that. And I suppose in comparison…yeah, it's easier." The black-haired sophomore suddenly frowned. "What do you think of Jane? All things considered."

"Jane?"

"Yeah. Jane. Jane Porter. Brunette, family came from England, loves animals—"

"I know who she is, Olaf. I yelled at her last night."

"Yeah. You did. But what do you  _think?_ "

Kristoff chuckled as they neared the doorway, tightening a hand over the strap of his backpack.

"Frankly, Olaf…she worries me more than Charlotte."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any questions (especially with Adam or Charlotte) feel free to PM me over on FFnet. I'm not sure how it would work here on AO3, so I would prefer FFnet if you can. Or just leave a comment here.


	4. Backward Glances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own any musicals mentioned. And _West Side Story_ was glossed over simply because it's just a backdrop - something to kick things off since it's actually a super minor thing compared to everything else.
> 
>  **EDIT:** I just realized that the 'thud' effect in the very beginning of this chapter when Anna's hitting her head against her locker was missing. It's fixed now, but I apologize for that.

_Chapter 3 – Backward Glances_

**-x-x-x-**

_“Who I am, from the start.  
Take me home…to my heart."_

* * *

 There was a dull ‘thud’ as Anna’s forehead connected with her locker door.

“Fuck.”

_Thud._

“Transferring.”

_Thud._

“Fucking.”

_Thud._

“Grades.”

The aggravated redhead drew her head back for another round, but a large hand loosely gripped at her bangs, effectively stopping her. Teal eyes lazily glanced over to see a familiar smirk on the face of a certain burly blond. He easily spun her around with a twist of his wrist, saving her forehead from further abuse as she slumped back against her locker.

“So…what’s got you bummed out, not-so-feisty pants?” her childhood best friend teased, withdrawing his hand to cross his arms as his smirk grew. “You were a hell of a lot more excited earlier.”

Anna scowled as she mirrored his pose, the tips of her ears growing hot with embarrassment. “Oh, don’t act like you don’t know, Kristoff! You were even _there_ for it in Chemistry! Laughing your ass off!”

“Hey, the look on your face was _priceless_. And I don’t see what’s the problem with a harmless study session. I mean, you have to admit, you kinda need it if you _really_ want that A that badly,” the burly blond chuckled, managing to avoid a punch to the arm. “There’s only so much you can do on your own, and losing brain cells by banging your head on your locker isn’t exactly helping here.”

“Yeah, but it’s not just Tiana who’ll be there!” the redhead exclaimed, pulling at her face in exasperation and earning more than a few looks from other students heading home. “She also invited Jane and a few others along! Wouldn’t say who, but it’s gonna be so _embarrassing!_ Just think of all the people with front row seats to see how much of an idiot I am!”

“Relax, Anna. Tiana wouldn’t be friends with people who’d look down on you or something. Besides, you’re not an idiot, as far as I can tell. Well…academically, of course. Maybe not a genius, but you’re not C-average either.” Kristoff suddenly furrowed his brow, the smirk on his face vanishing as his voice dropped to a softer tone. “This isn’t about your older sister, is it?”

Anna couldn’t help herself—her hands fell back to her sides as she stiffened. The burly blond sighed heavily, beating her to the punch before she could even deny it.

“You’re not Amelia.”

Although he most assuredly meant well, those words still stung. Anna bit her lip, fiddling with the end of one of her braids as her gaze fell to the floor. The random skid marks and dust bunnies spanning the tiles suddenly looked a lot more interesting, and she vaguely wondered if they had their own secret society that no one knew about. Expectations and disappointments—the whole shebang.

“…I know.”

From the corner of her eye, she registered Kristoff run a hand through his hair, jaw set as his eyebrows drew even closer. “No, Anna, I don’t think you know. While you were at Corona, you _told_ me how ridiculously proud your mom and dad were of her. Probably still _are_ considering she’s…what? A General now?”

“A Captain. Navy, Kris. Aiming for Admiral soon enough, given her track record as one of the youngest female Captains in history, and bagging more pirates than I care to remember in the past 4 years,” Anna muttered listlessly as she kicked at the floor. “But if you’re trying to make me feel better, you’re doing a shitty job of it so far.”

Kristoff sighed again, and she could see his broad shoulders drooping with the motion in her peripheral. “Look, feisty pants…so what if you might not be on your way to being valedictorian in high school? Or graduating with top honors in college?” Anna felt his gaze drilling into her, and she tightened her grip on her braid as his words hit closer and closer to home. “That’s not **you**. Hell, I bet deep down inside, you even _know_ it’s not you! You’re not the academic one! You’re the fun one—the one who does what she wants to do! Who cares if you’re not the smart one?

“And your grades right now? That’s not your fault; anyone short of being a genius would have problems transferring in with only a month left to go. You’re even doing better than I am, and I’ve been here all year!”

_But don’t you see? That’s not good enough, Kristoff. Anything less than an A is unacceptable, and one month is plenty of time. Can’t you see that I’m an idiot compared to her?_

“Amelia could’ve done it,” Anna mumbled weakly.

“And is your name ‘Amelia’?” the bury blond countered with a snort.

She tore her gaze away from the floor to frown at him, and was met with genuine concern in his brown eyes. Whatever retort she wanted to strike back with abruptly died in her throat as the tips of her ears burned in shame. He only wanted to help, after all. And as the only friend in Arendelle who still remembered her after 8 years.

_Heaven knows you need more of them in a place that’s both familiar and foreign compared to upbeat and sunny Corona…_

“…Both of our names start with ‘A’,” the redhead muttered instead, unable to meet his eyes any longer.

Thankfully, he accepted her awkward peace offering. Strong arms came up to pull her into a reassuring hug, which she reciprocated after a moment of hesitation. Kristoff was much taller and stronger than her, threatening to swallow up her smaller form in his embrace like he had done when Anna had first returned. Up close, he smelled of wet dog and sawdust, along with the faintest hint of metal.

“Believe it or not, you have friends here, feisty pants. Friends aside from me, and it’s okay to rely on them for help sometimes. Better than me—I’m pretty sure any attempt at studying between us would somehow end up with playing video games,” her childhood best friend chuckled, releasing her just enough to keep her at arm’s length. His brown eyes were still filled with concern as he managed a small smile. “You’re not Amelia. You don’t have to do this alone, and none of us will judge you for it. But if you’re still stubborn about trying to match up to her, then just know that we’ll be there for you.”

Kristoff gave her arm a solid pat as he fully let go of her, straightening up to his full height. “Just because you need help doesn’t mean that you’re stupid, or anything. It just means that you have something new to learn from them; something to help you reach your fullest potential.” His smirk returned. “And hopefully, you’ll come to your senses and realize that this whole thing is not you. God knows I don’t need _another_ friend who worries all the time.”

Anna stared up at him, unblinking as her mouth parted slightly in awe. _Who is this guy? He looks like an older Kristoff, and he still smells like Kristoff, but…_

“When did you get so wise, big guy?” she whispered, feeling a lot better already as she managed a shaky smile, trying not to tear up at how much her old friend had grown while she was away.

She did not expect the sad flicker in his brown eyes, so fast she almost didn’t see it. Before she could call him out on it, Kristoff reached out to trap her in a headlock, ruffling her hair despite her protests. “I live with Grand Pabbie, remember? He’s bound to have rubbed off on me a little,” he laughed as she wiggled in his grasp, spinning them both around. Fortunately, they were the only ones left in the hallway, since everyone else had already gone home.

“Kr-Kristoff! Let go of me!” the redhead huffed, trying not to laugh as well. “Geez, you’re almost as bad as Rapunzel!”

“Almost, huh?” the burly blond said as he finally released her, shrugging off the halfhearted punch she gave to his arm. “I guess that means I’ll have to work harder. Wouldn’t want to lose to your current best friend, after all.”

“Oh, please. You’re _both_ my best friends, you big lug,” Anna scoffed as she tried to fix her hair as best as she could, aiming a smirk in his direction. “Though I honestly don’t know why, seeing how you both are such dorks.”

Kristoff smiled at that, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “I’d love to meet her sometime. Compare notes on the best ways to terrorize you, and maybe brainstorm some new ideas. Share stories you’re too embarrassed to tell me.”

She playfully shoved him, managing to push him back an inch or two. “I’m Skyping with her this Sunday, so drop by if you want. Ooh! And bring Sven! She loves animals! Like, she has this chameleon named Pascal, and I _swear_ the little guy can understand everything we say.”

“Sven can too.”

“What? No he can’t.”

“Oh, c’mon! Why do you think I have to speak for him? People just don’t get him right away, but he knows what’s up. Definitely.”

 _Glad to see some things haven’t changed._ Anna rolled her eyes, crossing her arms with a huff even as she tried not to smile. “Punzie’s going to have a field day when she meets you…” she mumbled to herself, shaking her head in mock dismay. Kristoff’s ensuing chuckle meant he had heard every word.

Still, it would be great—awesome, even—if the two of them got along. Anna and Kristoff had been best friends before she had to move to Corona 8 years ago. She’d spent many days over at the Bjorgman household, eating Bulda’s delicious cooking with the rest of Kristoff’s foster family and listening to Grand Pabbie regaling them with stories of magic and fantastical creatures. Dragons and trolls, gods and goddesses of old, heroes, knights, kings and queens…

Sadly, all this came to an end when they moved to Corona. Anna was still able to call him—and text when her parents gave her a cell phone in middle school—and she kept in touch with him over the years. She confessed to how lonely she felt the first few years, but that quickly changed when she met Rapunzel in middle school. Anna and the brunette had become fast friends, growing even closer to achieve best friends status when they joined the drama club, choir, and art club together. Anna had even texted him a picture of their goofy, paint-covered faces one day during an impromptu paint fight.

Rapunzel had also been the one to show her around Corona, horrified to discover how little she had explored on her own. Anna had discovered the local archery range this way, and that was how she had met Merida, her other best friend, though not as close as Rapunzel. Although the fiery Scottish girl went to a different school than them, the three of them often went out to the city together to hang out and have fun. Well, it was mostly Rapunzel and Anna fawning over the latest clothes in the stores and Merida scoffing at almost everything. Then it would usually lead to Anna and Merida having an eating contest at a café or restaurant while Rapunzel tried to apologize to any patrons horrified at her friends’ behavior.

They sometimes studied together too, and Anna had easily been the most studious out of the three. Merida often got bored during these meet-ups and even tried to carve her pencil into a bow one time with the Swiss army knife her father gave her. Rapunzel would usually indulge in her friend’s goofiness, and it took every ounce of Anna’s willpower not to join them. Neither of them knew of Amelia, even though they heard about her on the news. As her sister grew more and more accomplished, it became harder and harder for Anna to decide whether or not she should tell them.

So she didn’t.

Most of this, she recounted to Kristoff over the phone or by text, but there had been a strange period early in freshman year where he had been a lot busier. He didn’t answer the phone as much, or texted as often as he used to. Seeing how the burly blond had mostly been a loner even when they were kids, it was almost as if he had finally made other friends. Anna had felt happy for him—she still did—but much to her frustration, Kristoff had been initially tight-lipped with some of them. He spoke a lot about Olaf, Aladdin, Kida—mostly in frustration—and much later on, brief mentions of some girl named Elise, or something. Ellie? Ellen?

Whatever the name was, Anna had made it quite clear to him that she intended to meet his new friends, one way or another, when she came back to Arendelle. The redhead had been sad to leave Corona, Rapunzel, and Merida behind—they all agreed to keep in touch, though—but she had also been excited to go back and see how much things had changed from 8 years ago.

 _Apparently, not so much after all,_ Anna mused as she reined her thoughts back to the present.

Across from her, Kristoff had pulled his phone out of his pocket to check the time. She knew he was part of the tech crew, but he didn’t like to talk about it too much compared to Charlotte, who sometimes wouldn’t stop bemoaning her unfortunate cut from the cast. Jane, on the other hand, had little to say on the matter despite having been put in the same position.

“Your shipmates need you?” Anna joked, referring to Charlotte’s declaration of him as ‘Captain of the Fly Rails.’

“Yeah, I gotta check the lines and make sure they’re still good and balanced for tonight. Jim still doesn’t have enough experience, and neither Olaf nor Wally are strong enough to handle any unbalanced lines,” Kristoff sighed as he slipped his phone back in his pocket. “And we all have to get the set ready ahead of time…y’know, the usual preparations so we can relax by the time the cast members start coming in. Jane and Charlotte usually go home right after school, but we’re fine without them.”

“Well? What are you waiting for? Get going, you big lug!” Anna exclaimed as she pushed him in the general direction of the auditorium. “You better have a damn good performance ready for me tonight!”

“Um…most of that depends on the cast, feisty pants,” the burly blond chuckled as he allowed her to continue pushing him. “But I’ll see what I can do.”

“You better!” she all but growled as she gave one last push.

“Right, right…I’ll see you later, then,” Kristoff called over his shoulder as he walked away, sparing a lazy wave. When he rounded the corner, he glanced back, only to receive a frantic ‘shooing’ gesture from the redhead. After a loud laugh at her antics, her friend was gone.

Left alone, Anna decided to leave for home, seeing as the show wouldn’t start for another 3 hours or so and Kristoff would be busy doing techie things. Her footsteps echoed in the silent hallway, and she took out her phone as she rounded the corner, doors in sight. After unlocking the screen, Anna saw that Rapunzel had left her a text. Before she could respond, however, someone opened the door just as her free hand reached for the handle.

“Oops! Sorry, hon!”

Anna blinked at the sight of the Southern blonde back in the school, still with her bag in tow. She could’ve sworn the girl had already gone home with the first wave of students. “Charlotte? What are you doing back here?”

“Oh, Mr. North just texted me ‘bout some meetin’ when I was halfway home, so I got my driver to turn back ‘round and drop me off,” her friend drawled as she slipped past her. “Said it was mighty important or somethin’.”

The redhead furrowed her brow, puzzled. “Kristoff didn’t mention anything about a meeting.”

“Oh, really?” Charlotte stopped to look at her over her shoulder, arching an eyebrow as she giggled. “Guess it must just be li’l ol’ me, then. Ooh! Wanna come along? Might as well show you the place you’ll be performin’ in the future.”

 _Well…since Charlotte_ invited _me, I guess I could…_ “Sure! I could take a quick peek before I head home!” Anna said as she bounded over to join the sprightly blonde. “I probably could’ve tagged along with Kristoff, but he’s got a job to do. Well, technically you should have a job to do too, but, erm….whatever! Ooh, this is so exciting!”

“Hon, you and I have different ideas of excitement, then.”

* * *

 Anna was excited, alright. She almost let out a squeal at the sight that greeted her.

“Shh! We can’t let ‘em know you’re here,” Charlotte whispered from beside her as they both peered through the slightly open door. “Auditorium’s off-limits to non-techies before the show, so jerks won’t make a mess of the seats or aisles. Olaf told me rooms are open though, ‘cause of orchestra or band kids who wanna practice a bit, but the techies’ll shoo ‘em away after half an hour on show days. They should be empty if you wanna take a peek, too.”

Anna’s gaze was still fixated on the massive, gorgeous red curtain, drawn back to reveal the crew hard at work checking the set and running through cues. Black-clad teenagers moved like a well-oiled machine, shouting warnings when something was flown in—like the massive chain-link fence for the Rumble scene—or smoothly wheeling about the different set pieces and climbing on top of them with all the skill of a monkey, in the case with the balcony scene.

The lights danced upon their forms, shadows playing across a stage covered with a myriad of scratches and marks. The house lights were also on, revealing the first few rows of red seats upon the equally-red carpeting that she could see from her position, as well as the orchestra pit at the front of the stage, music stands and speakers standing like stoic sentries waiting for their musicians to return.

Anna nudged the door open a little wider, allowing her to see banners of past, well-known performances hanging on the black walls, as well as the signature purple and green colors of their school and the town. The ceiling reached high, high up; probably 3 or 4 stories high, by the looks of it. Although Anna couldn’t see the catwalk from her limited view, she had a feeling it practically blended in with the blackness of the ceiling.

To top off what she _could_ see, two giant, golden theatre masks representing the traditional tragedy and comedy faces were affixed high at the point where the two sides of the red curtain would meet. From there, intricate golden music notes and staff lines sprung from behind each mask, forming a winding, downward arch that nearly touched the floor and ended in two giant treble clefs.

“—nna…Anna, are you listenin’? Anna!”

Fingers snapping in front of her quickly brought her attention back to the amused Southern blonde at her side.

“O-Oh, I’m sorry. Did you say something?” Her voice sounded embarrassingly dazed even to her own ears.

Charlotte rolled her eyes, failing to suppress a wide smile. “I was sayin’ that I gotta meet with Mr. North now, but you could go check out the choir room, practice rooms…all that good stuff so long as you ain’t caught by the crew,” she said with a lazy, dismissive wave before placing her hands on her hips and pouting. “I trust you not to wander in any places you ain’t allowed, y’hear? So don’tchu go and prove me wrong now!”

Anna beamed at that, carefully closing the auditorium door as they both stepped away from it. “And mess up my chance to be in the cast next year? No way!”

 _Although, I can’t make any guarantees once I actually_ have _a role…_

She held back her evil chuckle for Charlotte’s sake.

The Southern blonde puckered her lips, narrowing her eyes suspiciously as if she had heard Anna’s errant thought.

For her part, Anna merely flashed an innocent smile back; only partially fabricated. She really wouldn’t do anything to ruin her chances, of course. _New school, new director…I have a lot to prove._

“Well, then!” Charlotte clapped her hands together as she smiled. “I’ll be seein’ you later tonight, Anna! Make sure you cheer for us like there’s no tomorrow when we give our bow!”

“Sure thing!” the redhead called as her friend walked away, heading off to wherever this Mr. North’s office was.

Left alone once more, Anna allowed herself to let out a muted shriek of delight, hopping excitedly in place before she dashed for the direction of the music hallway nearby, where the choir room, practice rooms, and various other ‘rooms were located. Nearly ten steps into said hallway, she suddenly remembered that the crew wasn’t supposed to catch her in this area, seeing as school ended more than half an hour ago.

Good thing too, since voices were approaching from an adjacent hallway a little further on.

 _Oh, no! Gotta hide, gotta hide, gotta hide!_ Her braids nearly smacked her in the face with how fast she whipped her head around, searching frantically for a hiding spot. _But where—?_

She seized the nearest doorknob—a practice room, given the sign on the wall—and flung herself inside, managing to shut the door behind her with a soft ‘click’ before her momentum sent her tumbling to the carpeted floor. The contents of her backpack shifted louder than she would have liked, and she immediately scrambled to her feet as the voices outside grew closer. The only light available to her came from the dim glow of the small tinted window in the door, so Anna found herself stumbling through the semi-darkness of the room, nearly tripping over a few stray chairs and music stands.

The voices where almost to the door just as her clammy hand landed on something hard and cold. Her sweat made the metal surface uncomfortably slick, but she grinned nonetheless at her discovery of a large cabinet…which was fortunately, _not locked_.

_Yes!_

Anna barely had time to congratulate herself before her ears picked up the sound of a hand coming to rest on the doorknob. Carefully, with her heart pounding wildly in her chest as each second passed, the redhead slipped inside, maneuvering around the lone bongo drum within, and lightly pulled at the door so it rested close enough to _seem_ like it was fully closed. She wouldn’t want to lock herself in, after all.

Light suddenly flooded the room, manifesting as a thin vertical slit in the darkness of her hiding place. Anna fought to keep still as her nose decided to itch at the worst possible moment. Her arm was pinned to her side, and she didn’t want to risk accidentally hitting the cabinet’s walls, alerting her presence to the techies.

“Are you sure you heard something, Jim?” a young— _really_ young—boy’s voice drifted over, clearly skeptical.

“…I don’t know, Lewis,” she heard an older boy say, sounding uncertain. “I thought I did. Could just be some echoing from the auditorium…or rats.”

_…Hold up._

_RATS?!_

Anna bit back a scream as she heard the older boy laugh, only for a grunt to follow as the other techie presumably hit him.

“That isn’t funny, Jim!”

_Yeah, no kidding!_

“Dude, what the hell kind of punch was that? I bet Olaf could punch better than you, and the guy practically has sticks for arms.”

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t scare me with talk of rats! You _know_ those tunnels get really dark!”

“And that’s why we’re slowly setting up a light system, yes?” Anna could hear their feet shuffling on the carpeted floor as they headed back out to the hallway. “Along with that other project, of course.”

“Which one? The security, or…Oh, _that_ one.”

The lights went out, plunging Anna back into an inky darkness after having gotten used to the small amount of light filtering in to her hiding place. After Jim’s mention of rats, she couldn’t help the hitch in her breath as she imagined beady red eyes, sharp teeth, and claws scratching at the walls, or—

“Why did you keep the orb back in your locker, though?”

“If people bumped into me in the hallway, I didn’t want it to get messed up inside my backpack. Besides—“

Whatever Jim was going to say next was lost to her as the door slammed shut. Their voices were muffled as they continued their conversation further and further away from the room, completely oblivious to the redhead trying not to hyperventilate in the metal cabinet.

_That Jim guy was just joking, right? There wouldn’t be any rats here…right?_

A faint sound reached her ears, barely audible over the loud beat of her heart. If Anna had taken the time to realize that it sounded absolutely nothing like the squeak of a rat, perhaps she might’ve been able to open the door and calmly leave the room to head back home.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t.

_Shit, shit, shit, I have to get outta here!_

She flailed around wildly inside of the cabinet, overcome with panic. Anna pushed against the cabinet’s door, and found that it wouldn’t budge—somehow in her blind fit, she had locked herself in. Her breathing grew more and more erratic as she pounded on the metal walls, her eyes stinging with tears as a scream bubbled its way to her throat.

One of Anna’s fists brushed against something above her, and she suddenly fell through the back of the cabinet as that particular wall slid to the side. She tumbled through the darkness, a metallic ringing filling her ears as her shoulder eventually slammed into what felt like another cabinet door. It gave way, and Anna unceremoniously rolled out onto another carpeted floor, looking back to see the flash of a metal panel sliding shut at the back of…another…cabinet.

The redhead stared with wide eyes at the large metal object before her, door slightly ajar from when she had fallen out. Her mouth opened and closed several times as she struggled to comprehend what the hell just happened. Teal eyes swept over the new room as she shakily rose to her feet, the contents of her backpack audibly shifting once more. There would be time to think about the secret panel later, but for now…

Her shoulder throbbed, and Anna gingerly rubbed at it with a pained hiss, her gaze continuing to take in what she could see of the room from the light shed by the non-tinted windows in the double doors to her left.

There were rows and rows of music stands and chairs, all arranged in a gentle arc around a podium opposite of the doors. Cages containing cellos and smaller instrument cases lined the walls, broken only by a few large metal cabinets here and there, a small bookshelf, and a door tucked into the far corner.

 _Probably an office,_ Anna acknowledged distantly as she slumped against the cabinet she had come from, closing the door in the process. The redhead took a few minutes to calm her erratic breathing until her pulse was normal again, and she wasn’t sweating through her palms like a hog. She exhaled loudly, and snuck over to the double doors, careful to avoid the long rectangles of light shining down on the carpeted floor. As soon as Anna was pressed against the door to the left, she dared to peek her head up to the window.

Save for what sounded like muffled music in the distance, the coast was clear.

Anna carefully pushed open the door and exited what was obviously the orchestra room, the door closing behind her with a soft ‘click’. _Alright…now let’s see if I can try this again,_ she thought dryly as she tiptoed down to the end of the hallway, avoiding the adjacent one where Jim and Lewis had come from, and ignoring any doors marked as practice rooms, or simply left unmarked. If she was going to get caught, might as well do it in a place that wasn’t off limits, or something.

Now that she was outside, the redhead could clearly hear music playing somewhere, even if it still sounded a bit muffled.

And _singing_.

She carefully peered around the corner at the end of the hallway, and saw a door marked as the choir room. The music was coming from inside, and as Anna tiptoed closer to look through the door’s clear window, she noticed a light coming from the tinted window of a door on the opposite end of the room.

Someone was in there.

Overcome with curiosity, the redhead placed her ear to the cool surface of the door, biting her lip as her brow furrowed in concentration.

_“—One question haunts and hurts,  
Too much, too much to mention…”_

Before she knew it, her hand was on the doorknob and carefully turning it, wanting…no, _needing_ to hear more of the singer. If their voice sounded this good with a door or two in the way…

 _“Was I really seeking good?  
Or just seeking attention?_

Teal eyes widened as its owner dazedly stepped inside, the door closing softly behind her. _Well, you definitely caught_ my _attention…_ The music sounded clearer now, and the mysterious singer seemed to be female… _But then again, with that damn door in the way, a guy with an incredible range could be a possibility_. Anna blushed at the thought of a certain male singer on YouTube, and hastily shoved it away.

…A small, distant part of her subconsciously noted that it sounded vaguely familiar, though.

 _“Is that all good deeds are when looked at with an ice-cold eye?"_

She found herself carefully moving through the semi-darkness, eyes fixed on the blurred figure that darted into view of the tinted window from time to time.

 _“If that’s all good deeds are,  
_ _Maybe that’s…the reason_ **why!** _"_

Anna nervously swallowed in anticipation as her feet slowly drew her further away from the doorway, and closer to whoever had this _amazing_ voice. That sustained note on ‘why’ was just—

**_“NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED!”_**

_…Holy shit._

Anna’s jaw literally dropped at the power and ease in which the mysterious singer belted out the line. She froze in place, goosebumps rippling up her arms as a chill slid down her spine with all the tenderness of a lover. Even from the middle of the room, with a fucking _door_ still in the way, that voice was—

_HOLY FUCKING SHIT._

_“All helpful urges should be circumvented!”_

Her feet jerked into motion, her steps quickening as she neared the door. The figure’s outline slowly became clearer with every step towards the tinted barrier.

_“No good deed goes unpunished!”_

She had to know.

She had to know whose voice could hold such strength, such…such a melodic timbre that threatened to make her knees shake.

 _“Sure, I meant well, but look at what well-meant did…!"_  

Unfortunately, Anna failed to notice the chair in her way, having forgotten that choir rooms usually arranged the chairs in an arc and…just having thrown caution out the window in her burning _need_ to know who the hell was behind that fucking door. The semi-darkness wasn’t helping, either.

The redhead winced at the brief, but loud— _so_ uncomfortably loud—screech of the chair as she accidentally bumped against it, causing it to skid a few inches on the tiled floor. She froze, staring at the door in horror as the mysterious singer failed to deliver the next line, leaving only the instrumental music to fill in the silence.

_Shit! Why does this always happen to me?!_

Anna reached both hands behind her to hold onto her backpack to keep any more unwanted sounds to a minimum as she darted to her right, knowing that any good choir room would have elevated floors. Her previous bad luck must have balanced out, for not only did she manage to hurry up the steps without bumping into chairs or music stands she knew would be there, but she also found a large, dark _something_ on the third step—probably another cabinet or just a stack of boxes—she could hide behind in case the mysterious singer turned on the lights.

No sooner had Anna ducked into her new hiding place did the music suddenly stop, accompanied by the brief crackle of a speaker somewhere inside. A few moments later, she heard the sound of a door opening and tentative footsteps on the tiled floor. Desperate to catch a glimpse of this mysterious singer, Anna peered around whatever it is she was hiding behind, and nearly growled in frustration when she saw that the light inside the other room—probably an office—was turned off.

Even without that additional light, she could still make out a dark figure moving in the semi-darkness, soft footfalls the only sound piercing through the silence of the room as the singer crossed the distance to the door. Anna’s eyes strained for a glimpse of some defining feature on the figure as they drew closer to the light from the hallway—hairstyle, build… _anything_ , really—but a sudden burst of light from the pocket of her jeans abruptly tore her attention away to her phone.

 _Damn it, Rapunzel! Couldn’t you have picked a better time to text me?!_ Anna glared at the name showing up on the offending object, stabbing a button on the side to turn off the screen before she stuffed it back in her pocket. She’d respond later, when her heart wasn’t racing from the sudden fright she received when her phone’s light almost gave her away.

The redhead anxiously bit her lip, and turned her gaze back in the door’s direction.

 _…Of course,_ she thought with a defeated sigh. _What was I hoping for?_

The mysterious singer was gone; having left at the same moment Anna had been preoccupied with her phone.

Anna sighed again—heavier this time—as she stood up from behind…whatever it was she had been hiding behind. Frankly, at this point, she didn’t care to know anymore. Using the light of her phone’s screen to make her journey **a lot** easier than before, Anna quickly left the choir room. After the door softly clicked shut behind her, she slumped against it, taking a moment to fully process the last few minutes.

The last few _incredible_ minutes.

 _If this is the level I’ll be competing with…then I have a shit-ton of work to do,_ Anna thought grimly as she ran a hand through her fiery bangs, only mildly surprised to find that they were slightly plastered to her forehead. With the number of scares she had today…

With another sigh, Anna pushed away from the door, intending to head back home. She’d seen enough for today. Well… _heard_ , more like. Her thumb quickly typed in her password to unlock her phone as she walked, finally deciding to see what Rapunzel’s messages were about, and maybe scold the brunette for ruining her chance to find out the identity of that wonderful singer.

Maybe she’d ask Kristoff about it some time.

* * *

 The burly blond in question lingered at one of the few doors that connected the Cave to the rest of the network of tunnels, passageways, and whatever chambers there were. Most of the other crew members had already left to head back up—so as to avoid any suspicions with the cast—but Eugene and Marshall had stayed behind to finish up their pool game. The taller techie was currently frowning at the formation on the table, stick looking comically small in his large hand, while the goateed junior smirked in smug satisfaction.

Kristoff shook his head at them as he walked back into the cavernous room, making his way to where Elsa was still seated on one of the barstools around the kitchenette tucked into the corner. The platinum blonde had an open book in her hand, but it was obvious her mind was elsewhere, gazing thoughtfully at the high ceiling, where snowflakes of various sizes hung all over and gently spun with the air blowing in from the vents.

“Hey, Ice Queen,” he called with a smile, immediately drawing her attention away from the ceiling to meet his gaze. “Got a lot on your mind?”

His best friend tentatively smiled back as he plopped onto a stool beside her. “I’m just…thinking about what Beast said to me last night when I went to make sure he wasn’t…If he was okay, and all.”

Even though Adam was one of his few exceptions, Kristoff still frowned as a wave of protectiveness surged inside of him. “What did he say to you?” he asked curiously, leaning forward slightly in concern, as well. “He’s not picking on you, is he? Because if he is, I’ll punch him for you, if you want.”

“Oh, please. Beast’s been picking on me for years,” Elsa said as she rolled her eyes, her tone surprisingly light for someone who just admitted they were being bullied by a supposedly trusted cast member. _Have I been wrong about Adam this whole time? But…he tried to help back then. He almost di—_

“And no offense, Kristoff…but it would take a lot more than a punch from you to knock him down. Even more to render him unconscious.” The platinum blonde bit her lip as she closed her book, gaze falling to the gleaming silver letters on the cover. “Yes, he…he can hold his own just fine.”

_Except for the one time he didn’t._

Kristoff exhaled loudly, uncomfortable with the sudden, tense silence that settled between them from the unspoken words. He could already feel the chill creeping down his spine. “Look, I…I know Adam wouldn’t try to pull something like that on you, considering… _you know_ ,” he said as he rubbed the back of his head for lack of anything better to do. “I’m just trying to look out for you whenever I can. Call me overprotective, but better safe than sorry, right?”

_And ‘sorry’ is such a huge understatement in this case._

Elsa sighed, idly fiddling with her braid as she offered a small smile. “I understand your concern, Kristoff. It’s comforting to know that there are so many people looking out for me. But…you don’t have anything to worry about with Beast. Adam. Whichever name you prefer. He may be an ass at times, but he’s a well-meaning ass.”

The burly blond chuckled at that, but knew that the tension would stick around for a little bit longer with his next question. “So…are you going to do the same thing you did last night for his foot? I’m surprised he didn’t notice anything with how much you had to use to cover the swelling.”

As expected, Elsa stiffened, biting her lip as her fingers suddenly tightened on her braid. “I’ll have to see it myself to know for sure,” she began carefully, “but I’m hoping I won’t need to.”

Kristoff grinned a little as he raised a hand, flexing his fingers. “Think you can find us fly rails some special gloves to use? Rope burn isn’t fun, I’ll tell you that.”

She playfully smacked his arm with her book, trying to scowl at him, but he could see a glimmer of amusement in her ice-blue eyes. “Funny…Eugene didn’t mention anything about rope burn.”

“I heard my name!” the junior called out from over by the pool table. “You better not be talking shit about me, Ice Queen!”

Elsa’s pale cheeks flushed a light pink at the affectionate way Eugene used her supposedly infamous moniker. Kristoff knew it wasn’t _just_ Eugene—the whole crew was included, and he knew Elsa still couldn’t get over it, even though it’s been over a year since then. Whereas several members of the cast and many other students used it daily as an insult, as a cruel title for her standoffish attitude towards them…the crew knew better. It was a term of endearment, occasionally a good-natured joke, and a nickname _so_ fitting, that even Kristoff sometimes couldn’t fight the amused grin that twitched at his lips.

And as someone who had actually **been there** on that day…that said a lot.

“Don’t worry, _Flynn Ryder,_ ” Kristoff snarked good-naturedly, “Your precious ego is still intact.”

“I don’t think I like your sass, Bjorgm—Wh-What?! How the hell did you manage to sink those?!”

The burly blond rolled his eyes at Marshall’s surprise ‘attack,’ turning his attention back to his best friend, who was glancing at the aftermath of the game in amusement. “You would think Eugene knows of my cousin’s mathematical skills by now,” Elsa said, her melodic voice carrying through despite the hand hiding her smile. “I’ve been tutoring him for years, after all.”

“Remind me never to play pool against you, then,” Kristoff chuckled, rubbing the back of his head as he grinned at her. “So…how about those gloves?”

* * *

 Three hours later, Anna was back at school, minus her backpack and wearing a purple and gold Corona High School T-shirt along with a pair of black jeans. Sure, she went to Arendelle now, but she hadn’t quite built up enough loyalty to wear their gear just yet. Her parents stood behind her in the line, with her mother glancing curiously at her surroundings while her father scrutinized the tickets they had bought.

“ _West Side Story_ , huh? I haven’t seen that musical in ages,” Agdar chuckled to himself. “Do you remember, dear?”

Idunn smiled sheepishly, and Anna knew where she had inherited that look from. “To be honest, I don’t remember much. There was dancing at a gym, a chain-link fence, and that song about…Maria, was it?”

 _“Maria…I just met a girl named Maria,”_ her father sang slightly off-key, grinning at them both as he reached out to tenderly hold his wife’s hand with his free one. _“And suddenly that name, will never be the same…to me! Maria! I just kissed a girl named Maria!”_

 _“And suddenly I’ve found…how wonderful a sound can be!”_ Anna joined in with an equally broad grin as she grabbed her mother’s other hand.

 **“Maria!”** they harmonized together, ignoring the blush quickly gaining in strength on Idunn’s cheeks, as well as the amused looks thrown their way by the others also waiting in line for the doors to open. _“Say it loud, and there’s music playing!”_

“R-Really, now! People are staring…”

 _“Say it soft…and it’s almost like praying…”_ they continued together, grins never ceasing even as they sang in a softer tone. _“Maria…We’ll never stop saying…Maria…”_

Her mother arched a delicate brown eyebrow. “Keep this up, and I just might be jealous of all the attention this ‘Maria’ is getting from you two.”

The whole family shared a laugh at that, with Agdar pressing a kiss to his wife’s cheek, and Anna giving her mother a brief, one-armed hug. “It’s a shame your name only has two syllables, dear,” her father chuckled as he released his wife’s hand. “Otherwise, the timing would’ve been perfect.”

“You know what would’ve been more perfect, Papa?” Anna began, smirking as she placed her hands on her hips. “If you had sung a modified version when you first asked Mama out.”

“If your father did that, you and your sister might not have been born,” Idunn teased, playfully jabbing at her husband’s arm as he feigned a look of indignation.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re excused, dear. Do try to hold it in next time.”

Someone behind them snorted in laughter, unable to help themselves, and Anna quickly followed suit, the situation made even more hilarious by the fact that there were others listening in on their antics. Her father’s face rivaled the shade of her own hair as he sputtered in disbelief, hazel eyes eventually fixing a glare at her mother, who merely offered an innocent smile in response. _Yup…Like mother, like daughter._

“…I hate you.”

“I hate you too.”

Anna rolled her eyes at them, trying not to smile as she turned her head away so Idunn could give her father a kiss and calm his nerves. Even though she had already seen them kiss several times when she was growing up, it was still a weird thing to see, considering they were _her parents_. In doing so, she caught sight of a certain blonde walking alongside the line, fashionable purse hanging from her shoulder, and heading for a certain hallway Anna had started to become familiar with.

“Charlotte!” the redhead called over the light buzz of conversation in the line, waving an arm for good measure.

The Southern blonde looked up from her phone at the sound of her name being called, and she beamed, all but sprinting over to where her friend was waiting. “Anna! You’re still alive!” she exclaimed, giggling as she pulled the redhead into a brief—but bone-crushing—hug. “I was half-expectin’ one of the crew members to show up at Mr. North’s office with your li’l ass in tow!”

Anna gasped, lightly swatting at her friend’s arm. “My ass is _so_ not little!”

“I do not need to hear this conversation,” she heard Agdar deadpan nearby.

Anna laughed, gesturing for Charlotte to follow her into the hallway to spare her father of any more unwanted details. The blonde had been heading in that direction anyway, and she trusted her mother to hold her spot in the line.

“So…what was that meeting all about?” she asked curiously.

To her surprise, the Southern blonde gnawed at her lip instead of immediately ranting or gushing as she usually did. “Well, it definitely _was_ mighty important,” she finally drawled, hesitant as if choosing her words carefully. “I can’t tell you, though—tech crew business and all—but…it’s still kinda a lot to take in.”

Anna frowned, her eyebrows scrunched together in worry. “You’re not in trouble, are you?”

“What? Heavens, no! Mr. North just needed to tell me ‘bout some stuff I was startin’ to guess at,” Charlotte giggled, looking more like her usual self as she daintily patted the redhead’s shoulder. “But look at you, bein’ a cutie and worryin’ ‘bout your friends.”

“Friends who apparently got caught sneaking notes away,” Anna commented dryly.

“She packed beignets for dessert! Now if you’ve had any o’ those _sinfully delicious_ things, you just can’t keep away, hon!” Charlotte sighed dreamily, no doubt thinking back to said food. “You just can’t keep away…”

The redhead rolled her eyes, crossing her arms as she glanced back at where the line was, noting that even more people had shown up, judging by the din seeping into their hallway. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready? The show should be starting in like, 15 minutes.”

“I usually arrive at this time, so I’ll be fine,” her friend said with a dismissive wave. “The rest of the crew’s taken care of everythin’ important. I mean, y’know Mr. Sebastian told Mr. North to make me the Stage Manager, so all I gotta do is manage stuff _durin’_ the show.” She giggled deviously. “He didn’t say nothin’ ‘bout _before_.”

Anna’s palm met her own forehead at that.

 _Geez, no_ wonder _Kristoff doesn’t like her. The guy takes crew seriously, and—Oh…wait a second! That’s it!_

Teal eyes lit up excitedly at the new option presented to her, and she bit her lip, thinking of her next words. “Hey, uh…Charlotte?”

“Yes, hon?”

Anna found herself rocking back and forth on her heels, hands fidgeting with the hem of her shirt for lack of anything else to do. “I was just wondering if you knew anyone on the crew who could sing really well? Like, really, _really_ well? I mean, if I was being completely honest here, it would have to be really, really, **really** well—amazing, actually—but that’s a lot of ‘really’s’ already, but it’s just that they’re _so fucking_ **good** at it that—“

She cut herself off mid-ramble at the confused look on her friend’s face. Charlotte’s nose was slightly scrunched up, and a single eyebrow was raised, rosy lips parted slightly. “Um…Anna. Sweetie. If anyone sings as well as you’re sayin’, then why in heaven’s name would they be on _the tech crew?_ It just wouldn’t make sense, hon.”

“So what you’re saying is…you don’t know anyone who might?” the redhead asked weakly, shoulders drooping visibly.

Charlotte shook her head, blonde locks bouncing with the motion. “As far as li’l ol’ me is aware, no. I doubt Jane would know, either.” She clapped her hands together, brow furrowing a little as she puckered her lips slightly in thought. “Although, on breaks durin’ rehearsals or before then…Aladdin ‘n’ Olaf might sing a bit. Sometimes Milo. Nothin’ to write home ‘bout, and I doubt that’s what you’re lookin’ for.”

“So aside from that…?”

“Aside from that, I dunno. I’m sorry, hon.” The blonde grinned suddenly, probably hoping to cheer her up. “Maybe it’s just a student who managed to evade the techies? I’m sure it could’ve happened before! Ooh, or a cast member stayin’ after school? I mean, I dunno anyone who does that, but still!”

_A cast member, huh…? That could be a possibility. Ugh, I just want to find them and know who they are! That singing was very close to giving me an eargasm, I swear! If that damn door wasn’t in the way—_

She must have been voicing her thoughts aloud again, because Charlotte was giggling, eyes twinkling with amusement as she daintily patted her shoulder once more. “There, see? I’m always tellin’ Tia to look at the bright side, and you should too!”

“So you’re telling me that the person I’m looking for could be part of the cast?” Anna asked, hope seeping into her voice.

“Hon, you’re the one who heard ‘em singin’, so I wouldn’t know,” her friend said with a shrug, readjusting her purse as she slowly inched further down the hallway. “Now I gotta go, or Jane’s gonna yell at me for bein’ _too_ late, if y’know what I mean. Hope you find who you’re lookin’ for, though!”

Charlotte waved over her shoulder as she sashayed away, disappearing down the hallway Anna had heard Jim and Lewis coming from earlier. _Must be where the actual theatre sort of rooms are,_ she thought as she walked back to the line to reunite with her parents. Fortunately, she hadn’t missed much in her absence—her father was no longer embarrassed, and her mother was now humming “Maria” under her breath.

The doors were opened two minutes later by a hulking techie with dark brown hair shaved into a buzz-cut, his black shirt clinging to his muscled arms as he easily reached up to the mechanism to prop the doors open. “Tickets,” he rumbled in an avalanche-like voice as he set a bin down by his feet, extending a large hand to the first person in line. The poor boy was obviously scared shitless by the techie’s huge stature, but he nonetheless held out his ticket, which the techie quickly ripped. He tossed one half into the bin and handed the stub back to its owner, directing him inside to where another techie currently hidden from Anna’s view would hand him a playbill.

 _What the hell does he_ eat?! Anna couldn’t help but think as the line quickly began to move, spurred on by fear of the techie towering over them. Judging by Idunn’s own wide-eyed expression, her mother must have been wondering the same thing.

“Is he a crew member, or a bouncer?” she heard her father mutter to himself.

_Probably both._

Before she knew it, Anna was craning her head to look up at the giant in question, trying not to quail as his dark eyes flicked down to hers. He plucked the tickets out of her hand, noted her parents behind her, and ripped through all three of them before handing back the stubs. “Arendelle is better,” he grunted as they walked past, and Anna allowed a small grin at the defensive set to his jaw.

Even after catching a glimpse of the auditorium from earlier, Anna was still blown away by how lavish it all was for a high school. Then again, it made sense, considering that—according to Tiana—the school was founded around 100 years ago by the eccentric millionaire, Walter Whitmore. His equally eccentric—if not more—billionaire grandson Preston must have maintained his grandfather’s projects, if the shiny gleam to everything was anything to go by.

While her mother and father stared at the intricate design around the stage area, Anna directed her attention to the rest of the auditorium that she hadn’t gotten a chance to see before. The banners continued all the way to the back wall, behind the very last row of seats and flanking the tech booth on both sides. The booth in question did not have a window like Corona High’s, but rather, a large, open space where various wires and plugs from the different devices snaked down from the opening to occupy the few outlets beneath. There probably weren’t enough outlets inside. She could make out some figures bustling about, but the distance didn’t allow her to see much.

A glint on the wall nearby caught her eye as other families and students walked past her, revealing a small column of plaques that ranged from dedications, to various awards for best high school performance in the district. All of them were polished to a healthy sheen, even the top one, which dated back...around 100 years ago?

 _From the beginning of the school, huh?_ Anna thought as she peered closer. _Let’s see…”Dedicated to Bethany Grof, an ardent lover of theatre, and without whom this school would not be standing here today.”_

There was another line at the very bottom of the plaque, so small she almost didn’t catch it at first.

_“In memory of S—“_

A tap on her shoulder quickly drew her attention, and Anna jumped a little, turning her head to see a young man with brown hair smirking down at her, brown eyes clearly amused. In one hand, he held a stack of playbills, and the other had retracted from tapping her shoulder to stroke his well-kept goatee. “While it’s perfectly fine to take in the sights, I think the others would appreciate it if you admired from your seat, hm?”

Her parents were waiting at the foot of some stairs nearby, with her father trying not to laugh as her face reddened in embarrassment. Anna spluttered as the techie handed her a playbill with a flirtatious wink, patting her shoulder before gently pushing her in their direction. Her mortification allowed her to find some good seats in the center in record time, breezing past idling families as her parents followed behind at a much slower pace. As soon as they all settled in, Anna buried her face in her playbill, hoping that no one was giving her any weird looks.

After a few seconds, the redhead grew bored of having a paper on her face, so she decided to copy Idunn and have a look at the playbill. She recognized a few of the names in the cast, and a couple more from the pictures provided next to their brief bios before she eagerly moved on to the crew in the hopes of spotting which ones were Kristoff’s elusive friends. Unfortunately, the crew didn’t have any pictures, save for their Tech Director’s— _Holy shit, he looks like a badass Santa Claus!_ —but Anna was still able to recognize Olaf, Aladdin, Kida, and...

 _Oh. So it’s not Elise or Ellen, after all,_ Anna thought, her eyes tracing over the four letters of the girl’s name, and wondering what her last name was. The crew was the only group with just their first names—for whatever odd reason—and she found herself wondering if it would be just as pretty as her first.

Something stirred even further in the depths of her subconscious.

Unaware of such a thing taking place inside of her, Anna glanced down at the stage, noting that the famous red curtains essential to any good show were a lot bigger and more majestic than Corona High’s. And somewhere behind those curtains, Kristoff was probably checking some last-minute things and worrying, as usual. Excitement welled up inside of her at the thought of being able to join her best friend next year, goofing around until the show started and it was Anna’s time to shine.

“So…next year, hm?” her mother said with a smile and a twinkle in her eyes drawing her out of her thoughts as if she had heard them. “I look forward to seeing my baby girl onstage.”

“Every day is a musical with her, Idunn,” her father chuckled from the other side of the brunette woman. “Are you sure you can handle more?”

“Shh! It’s about to start!” Anna whispered fiercely as the house lights began to dim, and with it, the general chatter of the audience. Soon enough, the only lights left where the small lamps mounted to the music stands down in the orchestra pit. Various instruments warmed up in unison to a concert B flat, gradually swelling into a moderate crescendo that effectively halted any lingering conversation in the crowd.

As soon as the music died down, a brief crackle came from unseen speakers, and a man’s voice patched through, thick with a Russian accent. “Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! Tonight is last performance of _West Side Story_ , and we hope you enjoy! Don’t forget to shut off your cellular devices, and picture-taking or recording is not allowed until after show. Until then…enjoy!”

A light applause went around as the man finished his announcement, and Anna fiddled with her playbill, eyes fixed on the impressive graffiti-marked canvas hanging up on the stage, hiding the set behind it. The redhead’s nerves hummed in anticipation, her stomach churning slightly at the thought of finally catching a sneak peek of what she would be getting into next year.

At an enthusiastic sweep of the stout, red-haired conductor’s arm, the orchestra readily jumped into the overture—a lively mix of brass and percussion reminiscent of the 1960’s. Having already seen the movie with Rapunzel and Merida back in Corona, Anna knew that the song had been trimmed for the sake of time.

As the music flowed into the prologue, a spotlight followed a lone actor climbing onto the stage from the right, probably coming in from a side door nearby. Dressed in a collared shirt messily rolled up to his elbows and khaki pants, the boy casually walked across the stage, whistling a tune as he shook the canister of spray paint in his hand. He stopped before an unmarked space on the graffiti-covered ‘wall’ and proceeded to spray “Jets rule!” in white on the black surface.

Anna couldn’t help but grin at that, already looking forward to when the Sharks showed up to chase the boy off their territory before Riff and the other members of the rival gang arrived and segued into “Jet Song.”

As soon as the Sharks finally ran off, the ‘wall’ was slowly flown out by the crew, and Anna stifled a giggle at the tall, black-haired young man with a ponytail swaggering about the stage and leading the gang of Jets. _This guy is playing as Riff? Seriously?_ The moment he opened his mouth to speak to his gang and start singing, however, Anna blinked in surprise at the power in his voice. Back in Corona, there were only a few boys who could reach that strength, considering puberty and all.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t as powerful as the singer she had heard earlier, and the actor’s voice was too deep.

 _But that’s okay! I have like, until the end of Act I to find them!_ She found herself leaning forward in her seat to watch the cast down below like a hawk, ears pricked and ready for even the slightest hint of that voice. _I mean, how hard can it be?_ West Side Story _doesn’t have as big of a cast as, say,_ Les Miserables, _or something…_

Apparently, it was going to be very hard, after all.

For a good deal of Act I, Anna had anxiously gnawed at her lip as she listened intently during each musical number. With “Something’s Coming,” she immediately ruled out the actor playing as Tony despite his tender, vulnerably hopeful voice that would’ve made him perfect for Christian if they had done _Moulin Rouge_ instead. After the scene at the gym— _Oh my god, this thing is so infectious like they should put that velvet rope thing for VIP stuff to keep people from jumping onstage to join—_ his rendition of “Maria” only served to solidify the idea.

Especially when her mother had teared up a bit with the musical accompaniment, having already heard her and her father’s spontaneous rendition earlier. She had not failed to notice how Idunn had reached over to slip her hand into her husband’s, either.

The colorful and vibrant “America” proved to be just as useful as “Maria,” in that none of the many singers there had fit what Anna was looking for. She had effectively ruled out all of the Sharks and the rest of the ‘Puerto Ricans,’ along with Riff and a few members of the Jets, as well. Which meant that the actress playing as Maria, and the last few Jets had been her only hope left.

_“Tonight, tonight…_   
_There’s only you tonight…_   
_What you are, what you do, what you say!”_

Scratch that.

It had seemed that Maria wasn’t her mysterious singer, either…even _if_ her voice was amazing. Anna tried to pump herself up for when the Jets started singing “Cool,” but she somehow knew, deep down inside, that she’d have no luck with them.

And she was right.

At least “One Hand, One Heart” had her smiling at how cute the boy playing as Tony—Eric, was it? She’d have to check the playbill again later—was with the Arabian girl playing as Maria. Or at least, Anna thought she was Arabian. Either way, the “Tonight Quintet” that followed caused that smile to grow even further at how well the different groups worked so well together, their voices blending until coming together for that last, great note.

The Rumble scene was next, where the two rival gangs would face off for a fight to settle things once and for all. Anna remembered crying at this part, since not only would two people die, but Tony…poor Tony not only lost his best friend—his _brother_ practically—but also _killed his girlfriend’s dear older brother_.

Her mother whimpered beside her as the lights faded to the sound of police sirens; Riff and Bernardo’s bodies lying on the stage. She heard the chain fence fly out as the red curtain swept in, illuminated faintly by the light from the orchestra pit. A resounding applause rose up for a spectacular ACT I—even if Anna had been slightly distracted for most of it—and she could see a few people standing up as the house lights slowly turned back on.

“Oh my god, what is Maria going to think? Tony killed her brother, and now the Sharks will want to kill Tony,” Idunn whispered in horror, her playbill clenched tightly in her fists.

Her father leaned over, allowing Anna to see him arch a sandy eyebrow quizzically as he smirked, his pencil-thin mustache twitching with the movement. “You already know what happens, dear.”

“Agdar, it’s been _years_ since I last saw it! If anything, I’m surprised _you_ still remember so much!”

“Well, Papa watched half of it with us when Rapunzel and Merida came over for movie night that one time,” Anna piped up, feeling the need to save the sandy-haired man from getting whacked on the arm by his wife’s playbill. He already had to go through the fart thing, after all.

A sudden flash of blonde bouncing along caught her eye, and Anna turned to see Charlotte standing near the door they had gone through earlier, waving in her direction. At first, she was confused as to how the Southern girl had found her so fast, but then she remembered— _Damn it, that guy must’ve told her about me!_ After informing her parents she was off to see a friend, Anna hurried through the row and down the steps, excitedly bouncing on the balls of her feet like her friend.

“Didya like it? Didya like it? Huh? Huh? Oh, tell me what ya think!” Charlotte giggled out, a grin splitting her face.

“Ooh, I loved it!” Anna exclaimed, clapping her hands together as she laughed. She wasn’t lying—even with her quest to find the mysterious singer, she was still able to appreciate the show so far. “Everyone’s just so _good!_ I really need to step up my game if I want to get a good part!”

“Oh, hush, Anna. I’m sure you’ll do fine for auditions,” the sprightly blonde said as they slowly stopped bouncing, a mischievous gleam in her eye. “So…didya find the mysterious singer you were lookin’ for? Jasmine’s pretty good as Maria.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me, Charlotte,” Anna groaned as she ran a hand through her fiery bangs in exasperation. “I kept an ear out every time someone new sang, but none of them came _close_ to what I’m looking for. I mean, they’re all pretty great, but I just…wanna hear that person again.”

Charlotte giggled. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re smitten, hon!” She barely stifled a gleeful shriek, her hands hovering over her mouth. “But it’s just a voice. Now if your mystery singer were a strappin’ hunk o’ _man_ , or a woman so _sexy_ she’d make everyone swoon with a sway o’ her hips, then—“

“ _Okay!_ Okay, Charlotte, I get it!” Anna almost screeched, trying not to show how hot and bothered her friend had made her with those descriptions, particularly that last one. _Oh god, just imagine hips that most_ definitely _do not lie…No! No, bad Anna! Get your mind out of the gutter! You don’t even know what this person looks like!_

“I don’t even know what this person looks like!”

“Don’t know what _who_ looks like?” a familiar voice cut in from nearby.

Anna turned, and smiled at the newcomer, throwing her arms around his neck in a brief hug. “Kristoff! You guys did great, especially with the timing in that gym scene, and the Rumble!”

“Aw, thanks, feisty pants. I’m glad you like the show.” The burly techie grinned at her, ruffling her hair slightly with his navy-blue gloves before turning to the other blonde, the grin vanishing. “Olaf made me come out here to bring you back. He’s handing out a gift to all of the techies.”

Charlotte narrowed her eyes in suspicion, lips puckered slightly. “What sorta gifts are we talkin’ ‘bout here?”

“You know Olaf,” the dirty blond scoffed, crossing his arms. “Something sentimental and _nice_. I swear, the guy doesn’t have a single mean bone in his body.”

“Hmph! I wish the same could be said for you!” Charlotte exclaimed, nose in the air as she turned her head away from him.

Feeling uncomfortable with her two friends arguing in front of her, Anna quickly stepped between them, hands held up in a placating manner. “Hey guys, let’s just…just calm down, okay? No one said anything mean, understand?” She looked back and forth between them for confirmation, receiving reluctant nods under her unrelenting stare. “Good. So now you two are going to go backstage and get your gifts from Olaf. Right now. And you’re _not_ going to try riling each other up, understand?”

Kristoff worked his jaw. Charlotte scrunched her nose.

_“Understand?”_

“…Ugh, fine! Whatever you want, feisty pants.”

“You’re lucky you’re such a darlin’ to be ‘round, Anna, else I’d refuse!”

Anna beamed, placing her hands on her hips as her two friends reluctantly headed backstage to meet with Olaf. Satisfied with a job well done, the redhead made her way back to her parents, settling comfortably into her seat and taking another look at her playbill for any more clues as to the rest of Kristoff’s friends. She had a feeling she’d take a liking to Olaf, but as for the others…

The redhead tapped her chin thoughtfully, staring at a certain four-letter name again. Her lips parted, and she tested the name out loud, no more than a whisper.

“Elsa...”

She was surprised to find how easily the name rolled off her tongue.

* * *

 Free of the distraction of finding her mysterious singer amongst the cast, Anna had been able to enjoy the rest of Act II a lot more than she had Act I. She almost cried along with her mother when a heartbroken Maria held Tony’s lifeless body, and applauded just as loudly as everyone else when the lights faded to black at the end when Officer Krupke finally led Chino away in handcuffs.

The lights came back on, vibrant and upbeat to match the orchestra’s lively playing for the curtain call. The cast members surged back onstage, holding hands and bowing together. First the Jet girls, then the Shark girls, the Jet boys, and so on until Tony spun Maria around in his arms after their bow. Anna, who by this time was already up on her feet and cheering loudly, cheered even more when a group of black-clad teenagers melted out from the shadows of the backstage to gather in the center for _their_ bow. They certainly were an odd sight to behold, with the hulking techie from earlier, a tanned girl with snow-white hair, and so on—they looked more like a band of misfits than a tech crew.

 _Misfits who look out for each other,_ Anna thought as she saw the happy grin on Kristoff’s face as he took a moment to glance at his fellow crew members. To his right was a black-haired boy that barely came up to his chest, smiling at the crowd with all the radiance of summer. To her friend’s left, however, was a girl with platinum blonde hair ending in a braid draped over her left shoulder, and windswept bangs. Her alabaster skin stood out against her black clothes, but in a good way, like a genuine Scandinavian beauty.

Unlike her fellow techies, her smile was demure, as if afraid to go any further beneath the brilliant lights of the stage. But it was a smile nonetheless, and Anna found that she rather liked seeing it on the girl’s face.

 _“Yay, Kristoff!_ **Whoooo!** _”_ Anna shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth as she bounced on her feet excitedly.

She’d like to think he heard her, for she saw the burly blond laugh as they all held their entwined hands in the air before bowing in unison and straightening back up again. They all broke contact while the entirety of the cast gestured to the orchestra pit still playing, and the tech booth above. Even so, Kristoff had slung an arm over the shoulders of the black-haired boy beside him, and clapped his other hand to the girl’s shoulder on his other side.

And that’s when Anna saw it, amidst the colorful chaos and the lively din reverberating off the auditorium’s walls.

The platinum blonde _smiled_. No longer the demure kind, before she quickly hid it behind a pale hand, much to the obvious chagrin of Kristoff and his other friend as they tried to tease it out of her again.

Anna found herself clapping harder and louder, no longer thinking of the cast and the show.

A distant, subconscious part of her, the small part that remembered snow and raspy words and pretty blue eyes, sat back…and marveled at the truth of that little girl’s words from long ago.

And it wondered if that voice would be just as pretty…

Just as beautiful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not satisfied with the very first scene in this chapter where Anna’s older sister is mentioned, but I’ve rewritten it so many times that I’ve just thrown my hands up in the air and wanted to be done with it. Amelia, of course, is Captain Amelia from _Treasure Planet_. Anna is still the same fun-loving girl we all know and love, but in terms of academics, she always feels so inferior compared to her sister, even if her parents don’t care about that. She thinks she’s an idiot whenever she can’t match her intelligence and doesn’t like it when that shortcoming is revealed to a group…even if they’ve never met Amelia. In Corona, if she was doing badly—according to her standards—she wouldn’t study with Rapunzel and Merida.
> 
> Hopefully, that clears up any confusion with that particular part of the scene and what Anna’s situation is. I promise that future chapters won’t be as horribly-written as that one. 
> 
> Also, there is a reason why “Defying Gravity” wasn't used in this chapter. All I can say is…tip of the iceberg. Ha-ha, which is funny…Yup. “Defying Gravity” will be used later on though, and it’s going to be pretty fucking epic when it happens. And not to worry—the two of them will actually be talking in the next chapter, for those of you wanting more Elsanna interaction…even if the feelings aren't there yet.


	5. Strike Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Anyone who's taken a closer look at the tags will know that Arthur is, in fact, not an OC.
> 
> For those of you who are (or rather, _will be_ ) curious about the translations, you can easily visit [this site](http://thuum.org/) and copy the text into the translator. Do note that it won't be exactly what I had in mind, but hopefully you'll get the gist.

_Chapter 4 – Strike Three_

**-x-x-x-**

_“The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times  
the same good things for the first time.”_

* * *

They were selling roses outside of the auditorium, and since Anna hadn’t had a chance to go buy them during the intermission, she decided to do so after the show. Waiting for the crowds to thin so she could make her way to the table certainly tested her patience, even though she knew that the crew wouldn’t be leaving this quickly anyway, including a certain blonde Stage Manager.

And while she had one yellow rose for Charlotte—as a thank you for letting her sneak around, of course—naturally, she had to get Kristoff _two_. Childhood best friends, and all.

“Just two? Why Anna, I’m hurt!” The burly blond clutched at his chest as if struck, though the large grin on his face said otherwise.

Anna snorted back a laugh as he accepted the simple yellow roses. She had already given Charlotte hers on her way to what she assumed was the theatre hallway. The sprightly blonde had been bouncing around excitedly, glad that she no longer had to be Stage Manager, and practically singing the good news to anyone who would listen.

Now the two of them were standing at the entrance of the hallway, careful to keep out of the way as cast members and the orchestra pit bustled about, either retrieving their bags/cases, or already heading home. The odd crew member showed up here and there, probably on an errand, so the rest must still be inside, putting the set pieces and props away. Anna tried to peer down the hall to see which door led to the backstage, but Kristoff quickly moved to stand in front of her, blocking her view.

“No sneak peeks, feisty pants,” he said as he obnoxiously waved the roses in her face for emphasis. “You’ll get your chance _if_ you make it on the cast next year.”

“I think you mean _when_ I make it on the cast, Kris,” Anna scoffed, pushing the roses away from her face and scrunching her nose. “I’ll have you know that I performed in a few plays _and_ musicals over the years, mister!”

The burly blond laughed, ruffling her fiery hair. “I’m just kidding—I’m sure you’ll do great, Anna. Just…just don’t be mean to the techies or anything, alright?”

She smirked, turning her nose up as she feigned a haughty laugh behind her hand. “Oh ho ho, but Mr. Bjorgman, it is expected of us!”

Well, what Anna expected was for her friend to joke along with her.

What she _didn’t_ expect was for the smile to fall into a frown, his normally warm brown eyes suddenly hardening a little as his hold on the roses tightened ever so slightly. “I’m serious, Anna. You’d be a new face, and we— _they,_ wouldn’t know what to expect from you.”

_Wait, what? Is he implying that I would actually—_

“Kristoff, you _know_ I would never intentionally bully anyone!” Anna exclaimed indignantly, clenching her hands into fists. “I mean, what the hell makes you think I would? You’ve known me for years!”

“Look, I know _you_ won’t, but the others don’t know you like I do.” He sighed heavily, looking pleadingly at her, and she couldn’t help but furrow her brow at the pain that flashed in his eyes. “Just please…don’t joke about it, Anna. We take these things very seriously.”

Anna bit her lip, averting her gaze as she filed away Kristoff’s strange behavior for later. “Corona never did it as far as I was aware…but do these things happen often?”

“Only with Gaston and his buddies, and sometimes the prima donnas of the cast,” a new voice piped up right behind the burly blond, surprisingly cheery for what they were talking about. “But thankfully, nothing _too_ bad has happened.”

“Yet,” Kristoff grumbled as he stepped back to reveal the black-haired boy that had been standing next to him during the bow. Upon seeing Anna, he gasped in delight and darted over to practically lift her up in a bear-hug that belied his short stature.

“Hi! I’m Olaf, and I like warm hugs!” the techie greeted her with an infectiously big grin on his face, revealing an adorable pair of buckteeth. “I hope you like warm hugs, too. You look like a hugger.”

Giggling, Anna returned his hug as he set her back down, releasing him after another moment. “I’m Anna, Kristoff’s old friend who moved to Corona, and well…came back! Although, I guess the T-shirt kinda gives it away, huh?” she said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she smiled at the suddenly slack-jawed boy. “It’s nice to finally meet one of his new friends. I’ve heard so much about you!”

She didn’t think it was possible, but the grin that split Olaf’s face was even bigger than before.

“Kristoff, Kristoff! You have a friend! _A friend!_ ”

“Hey! I have _friends_ , genius. Plural. And aren’t you one of them? Why do you make it seem like I’ve never had one before?”

“Sven doesn’t count~” Anna piped up, earning a sharp look from the burly blond as Olaf bounced up and down with enough excitement to rival Charlotte’s.

“I meant _outside of the crew_ , Kris! Oh, this is great! Just wait ‘til the others hear about this! Ooh, but I gotta tell Marshmallow and Elsa first! This is gonna be _soooooo_ good!”

“Oh, no you don’t,” Kristoff almost growled as he grabbed the back of the techie’s black shirt before he could go run off and spread the good news. “Why do you think I never told the rest of you guys about her? If this is how _you_ would react, just think of the others!”

Anna giggled at the light blush rising to her best friend’s cheeks. “I bet they’d throw you a party to celebrate if Olaf’s this excited for you.”

The horrified look on his face told her that was **exactly** what they would do.

“Oh, I know! Anna, you should totally come with us to the after party at Wandering Oaken’s! Mr. North booked the _whooooole_ restaurant for everyone!” Olaf exclaimed as he wiggled out of Kristoff’s loosened grasp and bounced over to her, staring up at her hopefully. “C’mon, it’ll be fun! I mean, if you’re friends with Kristoff, then that means you’ll be joining the tech crew next year, right?”

Anna giggled, failing to fight back the urge to ruffle the boy’s messy black hair. “ _Cast_ , actually,” she corrected him as he chortled, halfheartedly trying to slap her hand away. “But I’d love to go with you guys! I’ve been telling Kris how I’d meet his new friends one way or another, so…why the hell not?”

Olaf’s jaw fell open once more as Kristoff groaned behind him, reintroducing his palm to his forehead. “Nice going, feisty pants,” he grumbled, scrunching his broad shoulders almost up to his ears. “You just _had_ to tell him that, didn’t you?”

“Tell him what?” the redhead asked, genuinely confused as to why they were both acting like she had said something massively game-changing. Olaf continued to stare at her in what could be interpreted as awe before glancing at Kristoff in disbelief, and whipping his head back to her again. A grin slowly formed on his lips, threatening to grow into his biggest yet as his dark eyes twinkled with excitement.

“Kida! You gotta come over here!” Olaf all but shouted as someone else caught his attention from somewhere behind her, waving his arms frantically and earning a few amused looks from passing musicians and cast members. “Like, right now! Right now, Kida! Kida, Kida, Kida—”

 _Um…what is going on here?_ Anna thought as she turned her head to see who Olaf was calling over.

A girl with tanned skin walked toward them, her movements graceful and almost feline, in a way. She was dressed in all black, her shirt hugging her toned body and showing off her wiry arms. The pants she wore were slightly looser in comparison, tucked into a pair of black combat boots, but still managing to accentuate her hips and full figure. The girl’s eyes were a startling electric blue, matching a simple crystal that hung from a black cord around her slender neck, resting just below her collarbone. What was most striking about her, however, was the snowy hair gathered into a loose ponytail at the base of her neck.

“Calm yourself, Olaf. We do not need another techie bouncing off the walls,” the girl—Kida—said as she stopped beside Anna, a smirk playing on her full lips. She arched a white eyebrow quizzically at the boy, and Anna couldn’t help but wonder how anyone could dye their eyebrows that well. She had to admit, the techie somehow made it work and pulled it off amazingly well, even if white wouldn’t be her first choice of color.

 _Because let’s face it—there’s_ no way _that hair is natural._

“Hello,” Kida’s faintly accented voice suddenly jolted her out of her thoughts. “I do not believe I have seen you before.”

Anna blinked, noticing electric-blue eyes intently staring at her as their owner waited for an answer. “Oh! I’m Anna, Kristoff’s friend,” she said as she held out a hand, which the techie shook briefly. “I moved to Corona when I was eight, and only just came back to Arendelle a little over a month ago. I, uh…I don’t know why Olaf’s freaking out so much, though.”

Kida looked to Olaf for an answer, and the black-haired boy attempted to calm himself, settling for merely quivering in excitement instead of jumping up and down. “She plans to join the cast,” he stated in a way that Anna couldn’t help but feel he was holding back from shouting the news to the world.

Snowy eyebrows immediately shot up at this announcement, electric-blue eyes widening in surprise as Kida whipped her head in Kristoff’s direction. The burly blond in question was in the midst of lightly thumping his head repeatedly against the wall, giving off a strong let-the-ground-just-swallow-me-up-right-now vibe. The tips of his ears were red, poking through the dirty blond mess of his hair.

“…I knew her from before. It doesn’t count,” Anna heard him mumble against the wall.

Kida crossed her arms, jutting her hip to one side in doing so, her expression unchanged. “Regardless…with your attitude towards the cast as of now—“

“I’m not going to stop Anna if it’s what she wants. I’m not _that_ big of an ass, Kida,” Kristoff sighed as he finally turned around, slumping against the wall in defeat as he tried to tone down his embarrassed blush. “I _know_ for a fact that she won’t be like the others.”

The tanned girl’s features finally shifted to that of a frown, her snowy eyebrows furrowing. “Kristoff, we talked about this.”

“I just have a feeling in my gut that we need to start being more careful, okay? Especially with the next musical’s larger cast,” the burly blond said, running a hand through his hair like he always did whenever he was exasperated. “Maybe I’ve been around Grand Pabbie too much lately, or whatever, but…I don’t know.”

Anna was thoroughly confused now—no doubt about that. Thankfully, as he and Kida continued talking, Olaf snuck over to her other side, dark eyes so warm and cheerful that Anna couldn’t help the smile that rose to her face. “You wouldn’t mind explaining what’s going on, would you?”

“Oh, that’s easy! Kristoff doesn’t like the cast, except for Adam and Tiana. But then again, _everyone_ likes Tiana,” the techie whispered, chortling a little. “He doesn’t trust them, but it’s more like he’s just afraid things might go wrong again.”

“’Again’?”

The wry smile on Olaf’s face took her by surprise—his summery disposition almost made him seem like he was immune to such things. “People can be cruel.”

Anna bit her lip, her heart clenching at the thought of anyone being cruel to Kristoff or sweet, huggable Olaf. Without thinking, her arms wrapped around him and pulled him into a tight embrace, which he reciprocated wholeheartedly with a delighted laugh. “I’m so sorry, Olaf,” she whispered into his messy black hair, feeling her heart go out to him even though they had only just met.

The techie’s chuckle rumbled against her shoulder, and she frowned a little at the wry tone again. “Nothing happened to me, though. I was lucky. Others…not so lucky.” He pulled away with a small hop, a warm, genuine smile returning to his face. “But aside from that, it’s a _huuuuuuge_ deal that Kristoff has a friend that’s gonna be a cast member! We never thought it could happen!”

“Not even in a hundred years?” Anna asked, tentatively joking around again. She’d have to ask Kristoff about the whole thing some other time, preferably when they’re alone.

“Not even in a million!” Olaf exclaimed, spreading his arms wide to convey how important the whole thing was. “So you just _have to_ come with us to the after party! We have to make sure you won’t stop being friends with Kristoff, and all!”

The redhead smiled, ruffling his hair again. “I don’t think you have to worry about that. I plan to be friends with Kristoff for a long, long time. He’s one of my best friends, even if he _does_ smell like wet dog all the time.”

“Oh my gosh, he _totally_ does!”

The sound of someone loudly clearing their throat interrupted their conversation, and they both glanced over to see Kristoff and Kida looking at them expectantly. “If you’re finished with discussing my body odor, maybe we can actually start heading out?” the burly blond nearly growled, crossing his arms with a huff and almost crushing the roses. “I don’t want the cast to figure out which ones are the best seats.”

Before Anna could say anything to that last part, Olaf sighed heavily, shaking his head in dismay.

“And here, I thought we were having a breakthrough…”

* * *

Seeing the cast down on the stage was entirely different from being caught up right in the middle of them all. Elbows bumped into sides, conversations were as chaotic as an open-air market, and feet were occasionally stepped on. Wandering Oaken’s was crowded to say the least, especially since more than a few members of the orchestra pit had come along at the conductor/Music Director’s behest. The red-haired man was standing near the entrance, snapping his fingers at any students idling near the doorway to clear the way for people coming in.

“Either you’re in or you’re not—there is no in-between,” he scolded in a heavy Jamaican accent as students scurried past him.

Anna herself was standing just out of his range and near the wall, giggling with Olaf over some funny story or another while they waited for Kristoff to return. Back at the school, Anna had quickly found her parents before leaving, and had informed them of her invitation to the after party. Her mother had expressed some doubts over staying out a little later than usual, while her father had wholeheartedly encouraged her to go, especially if Kristoff was there to make sure she didn’t get into any trouble.

 _“It’s all part of the experience, Idunn!”_ he had said while literally pushing his daughter in the direction where her best friend and the others had been waiting.

Since the whole crew—aside from Jane and Charlotte—had simply stayed behind after school, Kristoff had called his foster mom Bulda earlier to pick them up in the family van. The short, plump woman was still as motherly as Anna remembered, pulling at each of their cheeks—much to Kida’s obvious chagrin—and going on about how her dear Kristoff’s friends were all skin and bones.

The lanky boy named Milo who had gone over to join them hadn’t helped their case, either.

And apparently the girl named Elsa, if Bulda’s words had been anything to go by. Kristoff had suggested waiting for her, but Milo had quickly told him that Mr. North needed her and a couple others to stay behind for a little bit.

So now, Anna and Olaf were waiting for Kristoff to come back with Elsa in tow, having been worried when Mr. Badass Santa Claus himself had showed up with some other crew members, but no Elsa.

_Speaking of which…_

“So…what’s Elsa like?” Anna found herself asking, wondering if she was the platinum blonde that had been standing next to Kristoff earlier on the stage. Once again, the name rolled off her tongue with surprising ease, and she found herself savoring each syllable.

Deep down inside, the little girl who remembered baby snowmen and ungloved hands smiled in anticipation.

Olaf grinned broadly, revealing his adorable buckteeth again. “Oh, she’s just about the nicest, gentlest, warmest person ever! We’re cousins, you know, on my mom’s side. Oh! And on a side note, you should know that Marshall’s my little brother. He may look mean and scary, but he’s a real softie on the inside…like a marshmallow!”

“’Marshall’?” Anna furrowed her brow, trying to remember the playbill, only to realize that the crew didn’t have any pictures in the first place.

“Yeah, the big guy! He was manning the door tonight, I think.”

A hulking frame and muscled arms came to mind, and the redhead’s jaw dropped in shock. _Holy shit, bouncer-techie is your_ brother?! “He’s your **little** brother?! No way, he’s like…so much bigger and taller than you!”

“Well, that’s how it is,” Olaf laughed, obviously delighting in her reaction.

Anna glanced around, searching for bouncer-techie’s highly noticeable physique amidst the crowd, but she didn’t see him, nor did she recall him showing up with Mr. North. “Where is he, by the way?”

“Probably with Elsa and whoever they got a ride with,” Olaf answered with a casual shrug. “Don’t let Kristoff fool you—the guy’s just overprotective about his friends. Chances are, they’re with Lewis’ foster parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. If not, then Sandy, but I’ve only seen his car once the whole time I’ve known him. But it was pretty cool, with the gold paint job!”

Anna giggled at his enthusiasm. “I hope Elsa’s just as fun to be around as you. She must be, since you’re related, and all.”

Olaf furrowed his brow suddenly, jaw working as he obviously contemplated something. “Well…she can be fun when she _wants_ to. But Anna, there’s something I forgot to warn you—“

“Hey!” Kristoff suddenly called with a grin, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, though if Anna were to be honest, they had stopped keeping an eye on the entrance. “Sorry for making you guys wait!”

Anna opened her mouth to say something, but the girl standing at his side immediately sent whatever she had prepared flying out the window. Or bolting past the Music Director and through the door, because…just… **Wow.** If Anna thought the girl looked like the picture of Scandinavian beauty from her vantage point up in the seats, then from up close she was a veritable Norse goddess. Her platinum blonde hair looked so soft, and those gravity-defying bangs practically begged to be touched and run through with her fingers. She was a couple inches taller than Anna, and her button nose was adorable, rosy lips caught in the faintest of smiles.

That is, until stunned, appreciative teal met thoroughly shocked blue.

An icy sort of blue, if she wanted to be more specific. The very embodiment of winter laid captured in those brilliant depths, freezing her in place and demanding proper attention. And Anna obliged readily, mapping out the most beautiful shade of blue she had ever—

_“Hi!”_

_“…Hello.”_

It took her a moment to realize that the girl’s faint smile had faded completely into a neutral line as icy blue abruptly looked away, seeking something over Anna’s left shoulder. Everything must have happened so fast in her head, for only now did Olaf excitedly shout, “Elsa!”, practically in her ear.

“Ugh, there’s no need to _shout!_ ” Anna whined as she rubbed at her ringing left ear. “She’s right there, Olaf!”

“Better get used to it, feisty pants. Especially when the band starts playing later,” Kristoff snorted as the black-haired techie literally bounced over to give the girl his signature hug. _Elsa,_ her mind corrected her as she watched a small smile form briefly on the platinum blonde’s face. She certainly looked as beautiful as her name.

Anna’s cheeks flushed a little as those striking eyes flicked over to look at her for the briefest of moments when Olaf finally pulled away with a broad grin. Taking that as her cue, the redhead cleared her throat a little and offered a small wave in addition to her smile, unsure if she should hold out a hand for the girl to shake or something. “Hi, my name’s Anna! One of Kristoff’s friends. It’s nice to finally meet you, Elsa!”

_“Do you like snow, too?”_

For some reason, Elsa refused to look at her, fixing her gaze on that same spot over her shoulder as she gave a curt nod in response. Apparently, Anna was the only one looking forward to this exchange.

The smile quickly fell from her face, and she grabbed Olaf’s arm, pulling him to her. “What the hell? You said she was, and I quote, ‘the nicest, gentlest, warmest person ever’!” Anna whispered in his ear, trying to fight back the faint sting of rejection. Such a thing had never happened to her—just about everybody she had ever met was drawn to her bright personality and warm disposition, never treating her like she wasn’t something worth their time.

Olaf grimaced as Elsa continued to ignore her, preferring instead to talk with a suddenly uncomfortable-looking Kristoff. “See, I forgot to warn you, Anna…Elsa sorta keeps people outside of the crew at arm’s length. Especially people she’s never met before. It’s a, uh…a defense mechanism?” Dark eyes met hers, shimmering with sympathy as he attempted a reassuring smile. “But it’s not you personally, really. Don’t feel so bad; she just treats most people like that.”

_But I don’t want to be ‘most people’._

“Well, I’m going to prove you wrong,” Anna huffed, fierce determination trampling the sting of Elsa’s minimal acknowledgement. “I’ll be her first friend outside of the crew, you’ll see!”

“Anna—“

“Anna, is that you? Oh goodie, you’re here!” Charlotte’s voice suddenly broke through, the sprightly blonde popping through the crowd with a wide grin on her face. She grabbed the redhead’s hands, tugging her along into the mass of bodies. “You just gotta meet the others, hon! I _know_ they’ll like you! And we’ve just ordered another round o’ those _delicious_ cheesy fries!”

Anna blinked, still trying to process the blonde’s sudden ninja-like—if bubbly—appearance as she glanced back at Olaf. “Th-That’s very nice of you, but I was just—“

The black-haired boy met her gaze and grinned, shaking his head as if to say it wasn’t a problem. ‘Just go,’ he mouthed, although his eyes told her the true story: she’d have more fun with Charlotte than with them, bristling at Elsa’s standoffish attitude.

But Anna meant what she had said to him. She was going to become Elsa’s friend, one way or another.

…And deep down inside, the little girl who remembered smoke-scented words and tender snowflakes on her cheeks giggled, hiding a secret in her smile.

* * *

The cast members Charlotte introduced her to were certainly nice and all, but Anna couldn’t keep her mind off of Elsa and the fact that she had left Kristoff behind. _He has friends now, remember? Friends other than you and Sven. He can take care of himself,_ her mind scolded her as she ate her basket of cheese fries and tried to pay attention to the joke Tony—no, _Eric_ , was telling everyone.

“—So then I said, ‘Catfish? Don’t you mean…a _purrmaid?’_ ”

The whole table laughed at that, with Charlotte pounding a fist against the polished wooden surface while Tiana hid her giggles behind her hand. The action seemed…familiar in a way, and Anna couldn’t help but stare at the dark-skinned girl, trying to place where she had seen it before.

“Is everything alright, Anna?” Maria—no, _Jasmine_ , asked, brown eyes filling with concern.

Eyes turned to the newest addition to their table, and Anna felt her cheeks heat up as she looked away before Tiana could catch her staring. “It’s nothing. Just…Wow, there are so many people here!” she laughed nervously, indicating with a cheese-covered fry to the people all around them.

Tiana, however, didn’t seem to buy it. She placed a hand on the redhead’s shoulder, brow furrowing. “Do you feel like going home now, or somethin’? The fries aren’t upsetting you, are they?”

Before she could respond, however, Charlotte giggled, waving away her friend’s questions. “It ain’t the fries, Tia! Trust me when I say you’ve got some stiff competition here. No, Anna’s probably still hung up on tryin’ to find this person she heard singin’ earlier after school.”

In eerie unison, the group quirked a brow in sudden interest. One person was fine, but when faced with more people knowing about her quest…Anna felt her cheeks burn as she tried to hide behind her basket of fries. “Do you, uh…Do any of you know someone who likes _Wicked?_ Likes it enough to belt out, say, ‘No Good Deed’ awesomely well?”

“Anna, most of us like _Wicked_. That doesn’t really help,” Eric deadpanned.

“Yeah, and I’m pretty sure we’ve all tried singing the songs at one point or another. Even so, my favorite is still _Les Miserables_ …or _Miss Saigon_ ,” Jasmine added, pausing to take a sip of her soda. “But as for the singing…I don’t know. I’d have to hear them to know for sure.”

“That’s what I said,” Charlotte piped up as she quickly snatched a fry from Tiana’s basket, earning a halfhearted glare from her best friend. “And with the way Anna was goin’ on ‘bout ‘em, it almost seems like she’s positively smitt—“

“Bathroom! Where’s the bathroom in this place?” Anna suddenly shouted, not caring if she drew a few looks from nearby tables and booths from her loud outburst. Her cheeks were practically on fire from Charlotte’s words, and she knew she needed to cool off somewhere before she’d say something that would embarrass her further. _Besides, I am_ not _smitten! Whoever heard of love at first voice, anyway? I’m just…very appreciative. Yeah._

“’Bathroom’?” Tiana repeated in confusion, as if trying to process the sudden shift in conversation.

“Yeah, the bathroom. ‘Cause you know, I gotta go. Like, right now. Go, that is. But not actually _go_ go, just…I mean, what I’m trying to say is…Bathroom.”

And with that said, Anna leapt up from the table and headed in the direction she thought the bathroom would most likely be. The band had arrived and was in the midst of warming up, so even if she didn’t _actually_ need to go, chances are it would be the quietest place, anyway. Luckily, she was heading in the right direction, for she spotted the signs within moments, maneuvering her way through the crowd of people. Just as she reached a hand for the door knob, however, said door swung open and hit her square in the forehead.

“Fucking hell!” Anna hissed in pain as she stumbled back a couple steps, hands immediately flying to the throbbing spot on her head. Black dots swam before her eyes, which she promptly shut, and even though her ears were ringing, she could still hear the panicked voice of her ‘attacker’.

“S-Sorry, I’m **so** sorry! I didn’t see you there!”

“Am I bleeding? I’m bleeding, aren’t I?” Anna groaned, fingers probing for a break in her skin and any hints of blood. “Jesus Christ, that **hurts** …”

When no reply came, the redhead finally opened her eyes, only to meet a horrified ice-blue stare. Elsa had backed up until the bathroom door stopped her path, hands held in front of her as if she had almost reached out to touch her, but decided against it at the last minute. Those hands began to fiddle restlessly with her platinum blonde braid as she continued to stare at Anna in mounting terror, mouth parted slightly.

 _Oh, so_ now _she decides to look at me._

“Is it _really_ that bad? It’s bad, isn’t it?” Anna asked, starting to panic a little at the techie’s reaction, but also unable to keep the hurt from her voice. “Or am I just that horrible?”

Elsa’s brow immediately furrowed, hands freezing in place as she finally looked away, biting her lip anxiously. “…I don’t think you’re horrible.”

 _Holy shit._ Anna distantly noted that her hands had fallen to her sides in her stunned state, the pain momentarily forgotten in lieu of the gentle cadence of Elsa’s voice—melodic and sweet even as the din within Wandering Oaken’s started to pick up.

And if they had been in a much quieter place where she could appreciate it better, Anna would’ve even dared to call it beautiful.

“Um—“

“There’s no bleeding, just a bruise starting to form,” Elsa cut her off curtly, taking her hands away from her braid in order to cross her arms. “Put some ice on it later.”

Her voice was now as cold as the ice she had suggested, eyes hardening as that neutral expression from earlier returned. Anna visibly flinched at the sudden change in the girl’s demeanor, searching for an answer in the harsh blue of her gaze. Finding none, she swallowed hard, the hurt she was feeling dwarfed by a surge of anger.

“We _just_ fucking met! What did I do to you, huh? What the hell, Elsa?!”

The platinum blonde pursed her lips into a thin line, jaw hardening. “What are you talking about?”

Anna nearly threw her hands up in the air in exasperation, but instead she winced as the throbbing pain on her forehead returned with a vengeance, significantly dampening the fiery passion of her anger. She blinked a few times as her hand reached up to gingerly rub at the spot, trying to stifle the whimper that crawled up to her throat and ultimately failing. Elsa hadn’t exactly opened that door _gently_ , after all.

Speaking of Elsa…Anna half-expected the platinum blonde to at least express a little concern over the return of the pain, seeing as how she had immediately panicked earlier and seemed genuinely sorry for whamming her face with a door.

She expected her cold demeanor to thaw for a moment, to hesitantly reach out maybe, and call her name, or something. To show that genuine glimmer again, and maybe…just maybe, they’d connect for a second.

Instead, Anna barely had time to register Elsa abruptly walking—more like speed-walking—past her, movements stiff and body language clearly closed off. She couldn’t even get a word out before the platinum blonde vanished into the crowd without a backward glance.

 _“I’ll be her first friend outside of the crew, you’ll see!_  "

Her own words seemed to mock her now. Clearly, this was going to be **a hell of a lot** harder than she initially thought.

“I’m not at the top of my game, is all,” Anna mumbled to herself, wincing again at the pain.

Whether from her forehead or her own ego, she wasn’t sure anymore. All she knew was that she’d have to suck it up and just try again. And again. And again, until Elsa was no longer closed off and terrified, until she could smile at her the way she smiled at Kristoff and Olaf.

Because damn it all, Anna couldn’t quite shake the distant feeling that she’d met her before.

* * *

The walk up the hill would normally be grueling to the average person, but she’d since grown used to it, having taken the familiar stone steps countless times ever since she was a little girl. She still remembered her first time—too tired to even make it halfway before a large hand had engulfed hers, rough like scales, yet carefully gentle at the same time. He hadn’t wanted to hurt her, and she remembered him kneeling down to her small height, dark eyes full of wisdom and patience. She remembered him telling her that someday, she would be strong enough to make the climb by herself, and until then…he would hold her hand every step of the way.

And he had, every time for the following two years. By the time she just turned eight, she had made it all the way to the manor by herself without stopping for breath, calves burning and face flushed. She remembered beaming as she watched him strolling up the stone steps, his rumbling laugh filling her with pride at how far she had come, at what she could do with her own strength.

Looking back on it now, she couldn’t help but think that he wasn’t _just_ talking about the walk up the hill to the manor they lived in.

Heaving a sigh, Elsa slid her key into the lock on the large double doors and pushed it open just enough for her to slip inside with her backpack in tow. She closed the door behind her and locked it before walking through the moonlit foyer, her steps painfully loud in the stillness of the manor as she headed for the living room, where she knew he would be waiting for her. It was almost midnight and she was tired from her long day at the school, but Elsa stopped by anyway, leaning against the large doorway.

Everything was large here, naturally.

Her gaze fell on the shape curled up in front of a roaring fireplace, illuminated by the flames more clearly since the protective grill had been set aside. A thick book laid open on the massive rug, far enough that any stray embers wouldn’t reach it, but close enough to read the words on the pages.

He had never been fond of couches, after all.

Elsa cleared her throat to catch his attention. _“Drem vulon lok,”_ she said, trying not to let her tiredness seep into her voice even as the words left their usual tingle on her tongue. Between schoolwork, tech crew, the after party, and Anna—

_No. Don’t think about that right now._

She heard a low rumble before that familiar deep voice, a voice she always felt safe around, finally spoke. _“Drem vulon lok, od kulaas._ You are back…earlier than I expected.”

The platinum blonde couldn’t help but smile a little at the drowsiness in her guardian’s voice. He must have been nodding off, and she couldn’t blame him, what with the warmth of the fire in their otherwise cold home. “Large gatherings aren’t my cup of tea, considering…But Jim made me promise I’d go. He’s taking things surprisingly well, by the way, but even so, I didn’t plan to stay for long.”

“Hmm…Does that _sen_ , that boy, wish to court you?” Arthur asked, chuckling in amusement despite the tiredness in his own voice. “If so, he is rather unfortunate to have chosen you…Aside from the obvious.”

“Well…it’s not exactly something I’d want to make public knowledge just yet, even among the crew,” Elsa sighed, crossing her arms as she bit her lip and made a mental note to figure out later how to gently turn Jim down if he decided to act. “It would only encourage them to play matchmaker, or something. Olaf and Eugene, especially.”

A moment of silence passed before the shape shifted, and dark eyes reflected the light from the fireplace as they turned to look up at her. “…But something else greatly troubles you, _od kulaas_. I can sense the tension surrounding you like a fog.” He sounded as if he was fighting back his drowsiness to regain some modicum of alertness. “Speak, and I will listen.”

_You always have._

Elsa couldn’t help but hunch in on herself a little, arms hugging her waist as she contemplated on whether or not she should tell him; her guardian, her friend, her mentor. On whether or not she should break the dam on the questions she wanted to ask, on the observations she wanted to share, on the…the hopes that she wanted to voice. The thoughts that she knew would keep her up for many nights to come, carefully turning them over and over again in her mind until she woke up the next morning feeling drained, and thinking of spring manifested in a simple smile.

“It’s nothing.”

The words slipped out before she could stop them, surprising both herself and her guardian, who had raised his head to look at her properly with the faintest hint of incredulity. A low rumble emanated deep from his throat as his dark eyes regarded her carefully, now more alert. “Elsa…I have lived a long time, heard many things, and seen a great deal more. Among those, I have studied the _joorre_ , and their…strange ways.”

Elsa forced her hands to keep still at her sides, so as not to give away the inner turmoil she felt by wringing her hands as she was normally wont to do. She hardly ever held back anything from him over the years…save for the one thing she had solemnly sworn not to reveal, of course.

_“I don’t know what they’d do if they found out, Elsa._  
 _So please, for your sake, don’t tell anyone unless I give you the okay._  
 _Can you do that for me?”_

And for the sake of that promise, of that profoundly worried gaze so unlike the blue of the others, Elsa would keep that vow.

“…I will not pry, as many _vahlokke_ or _bormahhe_ would. I know that it is best if you come to me of your own accord when you are ready,” Arthur said as he released a shuddering sigh, the flames flickering slightly behind him as he lowered his head back to its original position. “And when that time comes…I will listen. And I will offer you my wisdom.”

Elsa’s shoulders relaxed at the idea of allowing her the needed space to mull things over herself, and she preemptively stepped away from the doorway. “ _Nox,_ Arthur…You always give sound advice.”

Her guardian chuckled at that, the rich sound reverberating throughout their spacious living room. “’Always’ is such a…strong word, _od kulaas_. _Unstiid._ Even in my own tongue, it is a bit…unsettling. It would be wise not to invoke it unless you truly believe with all your heart and soul. Words…have power.”

“As do names.” The platinum blonde smiled cheekily at him, fighting Sleep’s incessant call for her to go upstairs and collapse onto her bed.

He chuckled once more and lazily waved at her to leave. “You tread thin ice there, Elsa. Now go. _Praan._ You will need your strength for tomorrow…and when we resume your _hahtaar_.”

Glad to finally head off to bed, Elsa bid her guardian a tired “Good night” as she left him in the living room, slipping back into her thoughts as her feet automatically took the familiar path to her room.

She didn’t know what Kristoff was hoping to accomplish…unless he actually _wasn’t_ hoping to accomplish anything. _It doesn’t sound like something he’d do anyway,_ the techie thought as she soon opened the familiar snowflake-patterned door and slipped inside, thankful that she’d left the curtains open that morning. She was much too tired to turn on the lights and draw them closed. Moonlight filtered in from the two windows of her large room, casting shadows on the wall and various items strewn about as Elsa shuffled to her bed, dropping her backpack on the carpeted floor somewhere along the way and kicking off her shoes.

Elsa nearly moaned in relief at the softness of the blanket and mattress beneath her, the tiredness in her limbs melting away as the platinum blonde snuggled into the nest of pillows at the head of her bed. She hadn’t bothered changing, nor did she feel like sleeping properly on her back instead of on her stomach.

Her eyes fluttered closed, and hair the color of liquid sunset flashed in her mind. Teal eyes shone with excitement amidst the smattering of freckles on sun-kissed skin.

_Anna…_

Elsa honestly didn’t know what to feel. She was torn between the guilt of leaving the girl to her pain, and… _hopeful_ , dare she say it, with their meeting. One look, and she knew that Anna was as warm as the smile the redhead had given her. One look, and she knew the girl couldn’t possibly mean her any harm. One look—

_“Elsa! Elsa…you must calm down!”_

A whimper escaped from her throat, and she shut her eyes even tighter.

 _“I am here,_ od kulaas… _I am here.  
Calm yourself; listen to my voice…Do you hear me, little one?”_

The platinum blonde buried her face into one of her many pillows, hands clenching tightly at the sheets as images flashed through her mind in rapid succession.

_“Do not look. You are safe now.”_

Snow. Snow, everywhere. So much—

_“P…A-Arthur, I-I didn’t—“_

Her knuckles hurt.

_“Do not look.”_

Her throat tingled with the phantom sensation of screaming.

_“Listen to my words, little one. Clear your mind of all else.”_

And Elsa had.

 _“Listen,_ dii zofaas mal suraas. _Listen to my words, and take heed…”_

…And she would need to trust in his words now, more than ever, if she didn’t want to lose that precious warmth.

* * *

Thanks to her mysterious singer the other day, Anna found herself humming whatever _Wicked_ song came to mind as she walked to the Arendelle Public Library close to her house. She needed all the cheering up she could get between waking up early for a study session—on a Saturday morning, no less!—and planning out her next move in befriending Elsa. Granted, the first attempt hadn’t exactly been well-thought out, but maybe she could get the others’ input?

 _It would be the one good thing to come out of this,_ Anna thought grumpily as she kicked at the concrete sidewalk, messenger bag bumping against her hip with every step. _Just…Just think happy thoughts for now, Anna. Don’t let her bum you out; you’ve got this. Think of that singer, and how awesome their voice was._

Spurred on by her mental pep-talk, a smile curled to life on the redhead’s freckled face. She hummed the first few notes of the next song she had decided on, mentally singing the words in her head with a new bounce to her step as she thought of meeting that singer someday…somehow.

_And we are led, to those who help us most to grow…if we let them, and we help them in retu—_

“Huh? What do you mean I should—“

“Oof!”

The sound escaped from Anna’s lips as she collided with another body— _Whoa, this person’s pretty soft! But cold, sheesh!_ —and staggered back a few steps, managing to keep her balance and not land on her butt. Her eyes had widened at the sudden collision, but they soon narrowed in annoyance, snapping up to the person…who…bumped…into…

_Talk about déjà vu._

Elsa stared back at her in blatant shock, frozen in the midst of trying to keep her own balance. Her hair wasn’t in the over-the-shoulder braid and windswept bangs look this time, instead tamed into a somewhat messy bun with her bangs sweeping over her forehead. She wore a light-blue T-shirt with random paint splatters everywhere and black sweatpants that said ‘Arendelle High’ along the sides in white, also flecked with paint.

Anna had never been to a set strike before—they weren’t mandatory for the cast—but it was pretty clear that was where Elsa was heading for right now. She opened her mouth to say something about it, or maybe to just say ‘hi’ like a normal human being.

“So…do you plan on hitting me every time we meet?”

 _…What. Mouth,_ no. _That’s not what we agreed on! You had one job, damn it!_

Either way, that certainly shook Elsa out of her shocked stupor. The platinum blonde straightened up almost immediately, attempting to school her features into her usual neutral expression as much as her flustering would allow…which wasn’t much. Her pale cheeks held a faint pink hue to them, and her ice-blue eyes darted about everywhere except at her as she wrung her hands. Anna faintly noticed the dark circles beneath them.

“That was really rude, you know. Leaving so suddenly,” the redhead continued in spite of the protests her mind was giving for her mouth to stop blurting things out. “You’re lucky I could cover it with my bangs and my parents didn’t see.”

She saw the techie’s hands twitch before she finally spoke, softly but curtly…and very much there. “Did you put ice on it?”

_Uhhhh…about that…Geez, how could I forget?! Does Charlotte sticking an ice cube on my forehead for about 3 seconds count?_

“No, it doesn’t.”

_Damn. Well, at least talking with people helped to distract from the pa—I said that out loud, didn’t I?_

“Yes…you did.”

Anna felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment at voicing her thoughts aloud without meaning to. She averted her gaze, fiddling with the strap of her messenger bag with one hand, while the other reached up to tuck a nonexistent stray strand of hair behind her ear as she smiled hesitantly. “Well…at least you’re talking to me now.”

A moment of silence passed, broken only by the distant sound of cars and the occasional birdsong as the rest of the world went about its morning. Curious, Anna turned her gaze back to Elsa, only to catch the tail-end of what _could’ve_ been interpreted as a pained expression, lasting only for a split second before her cold demeanor returned.

“And now we are not. Have a good day, Anna.”

The redhead felt a tingle go down her spine as the taller girl said her name for the first time, the syllables rolling off her tongue in a way that made her think of warmth and home and—Anna mentally shook her head, distantly registering the minute voice at the back of her mind that shouted this wasn’t the first time. She barely had time to gather her wits as Elsa moved to walk past her, but managed to quickly step in the techie’s way, almost causing them to bump into each other again.

Elsa inhaled sharply at the almost-contact, and immediately jerked back a step, face carefully cold even as her bottom lip trembled ever so slightly. Her voice, however, came out strong and frosty.

_“Move.”_

“You’re not seriously going to walk the whole way to the school, are you?” Anna shot back, drawing herself up to her full height as she placed her hands on her hips, ignoring the fact that she was still a couple inches shorter than the techie. “It’s a long walk, Elsa!”

“Long walks help me think and sort things out,” Elsa nearly growled, clearly wanting the conversation to end as she made another attempt to move past her…only for Anna to block her way again. “Anna, please _move_.”

There it was again.

“You know, I didn’t actually think you’d remember my name with the way you acted last night,” Anna couldn’t help but snap, even as a part of her warned that this wouldn’t help with getting into Elsa’s good graces and becoming her friend.

“Of course I’d—“ Elsa abruptly cut herself off, her lips curling into a deep frown of determination as she nearly pushed her way past the redhead, who was taken by surprise at her sudden direct approach. “This talk is over.”

“No, this talk, and…whatever _this_ is, isn’t over, Elsa!” Anna called after her as the techie stormed down the sidewalk, arms wrapped around her waist, shoulders hunched up to her ears, and steps hurried so as to put some distance between them. “Like hell it is! I’m not giving up on you, you hear me? It’ll take more than being a… being a cold-hearted _stinker_ to drive me away!”

 _Stinker? Really?_ That’s _the best I can come up with on short notice?_

Anna kicked at the sidewalk in frustration as she watched the platinum blonde grow smaller and smaller the farther she moved away in the direction of the school. Fighting back the disappointment in herself for letting her emotions get the better of her and probably making things worse— _this is definitely strike two, no doubt about it_ —Anna clutched the strap of her messenger bag tightly as she practically ran to the library just down the block, no longer bothering with a stroll anymore.

All the while, she tried not to think of how nice her name sounded when it came from Elsa’s lips.

…Nor of what she’d give to have the taller girl say her name more often in that oddly tender, melodic lilt of hers.

* * *

True to her word, the study group Tiana had organized was rather small. Charlotte was there, obviously, as was Tiana herself, Jane, and Lewis. The very same Lewis that Anna had heard talking with that Jim guy after school the other day. She had heard his boyish voice before, but she hadn’t quite been prepared to discover that he was actually 12 years old, barely coming up to her shoulder. A genius wanting the high school experience despite being able to graduate whenever he wished, Lewis was also adopted, from what she remembered Olaf slipping to her last night. Thankfully, the boy was eager to talk about his wonderful foster parents.

“Is there really a smiley face drawn on the back of his head?” Anna asked after he recounted when he had first met them, leaning forward at the table they had commandeered as she grinned.

“Uh-huh! And he wears his clothes backwards, too!” Lewis answered back with an enthusiastic nod of his spiky blond head, having to push up his large glasses from where they slipped down his nose. “He even did it for his wedding, apparently!”

“And your mom was _fine_ with it?” she couldn’t help but ask incredulously, knowing that if whoever _she_ got married to pulled something like that, they’d probably sleep on the couch for the next year or so.

A polite cough interrupted them before Lewis had a chance to respond, and they both turned to see Jane staring at them pointedly, arching a delicate brown eyebrow. Across from the brunette, Charlotte was resting her cheek against her notes, clearly out of it as Tiana obliviously continued her explanations from beside her, brown eyes fixed on the textbook in her hands.

“If I recall correctly, we finished up our break ten minutes ago,” Jane scolded them, her British accent only adding to the sheepish looks that quickly formed on their faces.

“Well, it’s not my fault Lewis has such an interesting family…”

“C’mon, Anna! I’m sure your family’s interesting, too.”

Jane coughed again, earning mumbled ‘sorry’s’ from the both of them. “Well…at least before that, much of our time was spent productively. And Anna, you grasped the material surprisingly well—Tiana gave me the impression that you were struggling.”

Anna tried to stamp down the familiar feeling of inadequacy that settled unwantedly in the pit of her stomach, pushing away memories of Amelia’s perfect report cards, awards, and medals. Before she could point out that she wasn’t actually struggling, however, Charlotte finally pushed herself away from her notes and casually drawled, “Oh, that was my doin’, Jane. I figur’d if Tia caught me, she wouldn’t be as mad if she knew Anna _really_ needed ‘em.”

“Lottie!” the dark-skinned girl in question disbelievingly exclaimed.

“Oh hush, Tia. Y’know it’s true. ‘Sides, I’m not the best liar ‘round, so ya shoulda known, hon.”

Tiana narrowed her eyes slightly, brow furrowing. “Yeah…You’re absolutely right, Lottie.”

Anna blinked at the sudden inexplicable tension that briefly descended over them, Charlotte’s bravado slowly giving way to nervousness. _I feel like I’m missing something here. What’s going on?_

Interestingly enough, Lewis was the one who spoke up first, immediately dissipating the weird atmosphere at their table. “I told Mr. North we’d be joining in late for set strike. So since we’re practically done here, we should probably get going,” the blond said as he glanced at the watch on his thin wrist (Anna noted with inward glee that it was _Doctor Who_ ). “Jane? Charlotte? What do you think?”

“Sounds good to me!” the sprightly blonde eagerly agreed, clearly preferring physical work to any more studying as she haphazardly shoved all of her things back into her bag.

“Oh, very well,” Jane acquiesced with a slight smile, daintily closing her textbook like the English ladies Anna saw in the movies and on TV. “Although, I doubt they would miss us, considering our combined strength barely comes up to Eugene’s, let alone Marshall’s.”

“Or Kida’s,” Anna interjected before she could stop herself, her mind already forming yet another plan.

“Yeah, Kida’s crazy strong,” Lewis agreed as he carefully put his study materials away in his backpack. “Just don’t make her angry, though—Wait. Anna, how do _you_ know Kida?”

“I met her last night when I was talking to Kristoff and Olaf. Apparently, there’s this big thing with Kristoff and the…” Anna trailed off, snapping her fingers as she suddenly remembered what she had been mulling over on her way here. It never hurt to have a plan B, right? “Hey, do you think you can help me with something?”

“Uh…sure?” The 12-year-old genius blinked at her in confusion. “What’s up?”

 _Well, here goes nothing…_ “I want to be Elsa’s friend,” Anna blurted out, figuring that being direct would be the best way to go. “Will you help me? I mean, since you’re on the crew and all, and you work with her and know her. Probably more than Jane and Charlotte. So…you should know what I could do, right?”

“Hold on one spankin’ moment there, hon!” Charlotte suddenly interjected, leaping to her feet and leaning over the table. “What’s all this ‘bout the Ice Queen? I thought you were goin’ after that singer fellow!”

 _Ice Queen? That’s sort of rude…even though she_ is _a bit—well, more than a bit—cold and aloof…_

“Lottie!” Tiana scolded, a frown pulling on her face. “How many times have I told you—“

“No, no…it’s fine, Tiana,” Lewis surprisingly interrupted before fixing his gaze back on the redhead waiting for an answer. “Um…any reason why? She’s called the Ice Queen for a reason, you know.

Anna nearly matched Tiana’s frown with her own, not liking the way he had said ‘Ice Queen’ so casually. Wasn’t he her friend? “Do I need a reason?”

“If it’s about Elsa, then yes, I’d like a reason.”

“Well, if you want one, I guess you could say that she has a very nice smile, and I’d like to see it more often,” the redhead stated matter-of-factly, crossing her arms with a huff. “But if I want to be completely serious here, Kristoff has never had this many friends before—it’s only natural that I’d like to get to know them better…especially if they practically pretended like I didn’t even exist when we were first introduced.”

Tiana and Jane nodded in approval at that, while Lewis stroked his chin in deep thought, his eyebrows scrunched together. Charlotte, on the other hand, looked bored as she inspected her perfectly manicured nails. “Hon, why don’tcha just come with us to set strike? That might show you’re willin’ to help with the crew.”

“Charlotte has a good idea, actually,” Lewis piped up, a smile slowly forming on his boyish face as both Jane and Tiana looked to the Southern blonde in mild surprise. “And I’m sorry about the mini-interrogation there, Anna. You seem like a good person, and if Kristoff can vouch for you, well…I think it would be nice to see Elsa’s support group expand a little. I mean, there’s the crew…but then there’s her _friends_.

 _Support group?_ “So…is that a yes to helping me out?”

“It depends on how well things go at set strike, if you want to come with us,” the boy genius said with a shrug as he stood up. “I want to say yes, though.”

 _Well, I guess that’s as good as I’m going to get right now…_ Anna thought with an inward sigh as she gathered her things back into her bag as well. Fortunately, the clothes she was currently wearing weren’t any of her nicer ones; the kind she would be afraid of dirtying. Besides, it wouldn’t be anything a good wash couldn’t fix, since they weren’t _building_ things or _painting_ them.

She felt a hand on her arm, and turned to see Lewis standing beside her, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose as he smiled reassuringly. Anna gave him a smile of her own, grateful for his support.

_Third time’s the charm, right?_

* * *

The brick walls from the show were certainly impressive from the audience’s point of view, and the cast probably didn’t think too much of it when they were performing onstage. It was nothing more than scenery, something to add to the atmosphere of the story playing out, as well as an extended hiding spot if it grew too crowded in the wings.

But in reality, the brick walls were _terrifying_ to dismantle…even if they were actually just made of wood, and bits of steel to hold it all together.

According to Kristoff—who had been pleasantly surprised to see her arrive with Lewis and Charlotte—they usually flew the walls in by hand, but considering they were unhooking them from the bars and laying them on the stage, more control was needed, as they would be going _very_ slow. The answer to that was some sort of contraption he attached to the locking rail that moved the ropes for them.

Lewis and a boy named Wally operated that contraption right now as every single crew member, plus Mr. North, positioned themselves near the two walls of the first set, ready to guide them to a more horizontal position as the bar lowered.

And those walls were _massive_ , up close.

“We are _so_ gonna die,” Anna squeaked, teal eyes growing wide as the walls slowly lowered, swinging slightly from the motion.

“Ha-ha! No one is dying on my watch!” Mr. North whispered from his spot beside her, grinning broadly. She had resisted the urge to double-take when Kristoff had first introduced him, and she saw him roll up his sleeves to reveal his tattoos, but from this close…

“Just in case I die, do you think I’d be on the naughty list, or the nice one?”

The Russian chuckled as his big hands reached out to easily steady their wall and begin the process of laying it flat. “I would like to think you are nice, but we cannot always judge on appearances, no? Do _you_ think you are?”

_I’d like to think I am…_

“That is good answer. Better than stating you are when in reality, you have doubt.”

_Oh, fuck. I said that out loud, didn’t I?_

Anna didn’t even have time to feel embarrassed—their wall was still coming down, and they needed everyone to support it and keep it aloft as the bar continued its descent. Mr. North’s muscles rippled as he bore most of the weight, given his and Anna’s position at the bottom of the wall. She was stunned by the old man’s strength, and slipped out an involuntary squeak of fear as the part of the wall she was supporting briefly shifted weight to her side, sending her stumbling back a half-step. A grunt from Mr. North and the techie on the redhead’s other side took care of the problem as they shifted their grips to counter the weight and allow her to recover.

“Th-Thanks,” Anna stammered out, her heart pounding wildly. _This is dangerous! How in the world can they be so calm about this?! What if it falls and crushes our fingers or feet?! What if it swings out of control and hits someone on the head?! What if—_

Until now, she had never appreciated how lucky the cast was with not having to help in set strike…or even set building, if she really thought about it.

“Yeah, but things would get done a lot faster if they did,” the techie beside her said with a sigh, shaking his black-haired head as they continued angling the wall so they could lay it flat. “Adam helps when he can, but he had to leave early for an appointment. Aside from him, you’re the only other non-techie I know of that has ever bothered.”

“Really?” _That’s kind of sad. No_ wonder _Kristoff has a thing against cast members._

“Oh, that one’s a different reason, actually.”

_…Damn it._

“I’m Aladdin, by the way. My friends sometimes call me Ali or Al, but the cops prefer to call me ‘Hey, you!’” the techie continued, throwing an amiable smile her way as the wall finally leveled out. “Just kidding, by the way. And you’re ’Anna’, right?”

 _I like this guy already._ “Yup, that’s me!” she said, matching his smile. “I transferred a month ago, so I don’t know if you’ve seen me before in the halls or something. I don’t think I’ve seen _you_ around, though.”

“That is because he skips class almost every day,” Mr. North grumbled from her other side as Lewis halted the bar’s descent and Wally hurried over to unhook the walls. “It is wonder how he has not failed yet. And trust me, I **know** about wonders.”

“Well, I can’t go revealing _all_ of my secrets now, can I?” Aladdin shot back with a grin as they finally set down the wall, collectively sighing in relief. “But relax, old man. I’m not cheating or asking Lewis to hack the records for me.”

“Lewis knows how to _do that?_ ” Anna asked incredulously.

“Of course! The kid’s a tech genius in addition to being a regular genius. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s building…I dunno, a time machine, or something.” He stretched his arms, prepping for the next set of walls as the genius in question brought the now-empty bar back up. “Pretty sure he’s working on some security stuff on the school, too.”

“He is,” Mr. North said as they all stepped around the wall and prepared to meet the last set Wally was slowly lowering. “So no funny business!”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, North.”

Anna couldn’t help but smile as she watched Aladdin banter on with the grizzled Tech Director. If this was the environment Kristoff often found himself in, then…it was great. _Really_ great. Amazing, even. To grow from a socially awkward loner obsessed with carrots, into an independent young man comfortable in his own skin around those who mattered most? Those _outside_ of his own family and her?

She glanced over her shoulder to the techies on the opposite side of the stage, near the other wall. Kristoff was grinning at something Olaf had said, before calling out to a boy with a carefully trimmed goatee. A round of laughter briefly rose up at whatever the boy replied with, and she didn’t miss the way Elsa lightly punched the burly blonde’s arm, her features as relaxed as the smile on her face.

_…What the hell did I miss all these years?_

“Hey, Aladdin…how did you and Kristoff meet?” Anna couldn’t help but ask. Kristoff had never gone into detail whenever they called or texted.

“Didn’t he tell you?” Aladdin asked, quirking an eyebrow quizzically as they began steadying the wall.

“No, he was…he still _is_ embarrassed about it, I think. He didn’t exactly have that many friends when we were younger,” the redhead confessed, her arms starting to burn from the heavy lifting, even with Mr. North helping. “Wait…how did—“

“Word travels fast in the crew, Anna,” the techie grunted as they once again fought to bring the wall up into a more horizontal position as the bar steadily descended. “Pretty sure most of us know about you by now, but we’re holding off on the party, if only ‘cause Kristoff’s got some thinking he wanted to do…and we respect stuff like that.”

“Oh my God, you’re serious about that.” Anna tried not to laugh, although it was easy to bite it back, considering how her arms were straining to carry her part of the wall. “I was joking when I said it to Olaf last night, but…Oh God, you definitely need to invite me to that. I’ll never let him live it down.”

“And I’ll hold you to that, Red,” Aladdin chuckled, his tanned arms trembling a little as they slowly leveled out the wall. “What do you think of the nickname? I’m trying to think of one that’ll stick before Eugene gets to you. He comes up with most of them, and with you, I’d be able to bring my count up to 2.”

“Gee, way to make a girl not feel used,” Anna said as she rolled her eyes. “Try again, _Al_. Not that creative…And you didn’t give me an answer, by the way.”

The techie worked his jaw for a bit, clearly mulling over her question in his mind…which was confusing, considering it should be easy to answer, right? At last, he exhaled softly as they waited for Wally to come over and unhook the wall from the bar. The next part would require more work than the previous one, since they would have to carry the wall farther upstage where there was more room.

“He was curious about theatre in middle school, I think, but didn’t do anything about it until his freshman year of high school. He wanted to see if he could get a small role for the fall play to get his feet wet, and if he failed at that, at least he could be a techie. The guy was trying to get over his social awkwardness, I could tell—maybe playing a role would help him learn how to deal with people on his own, or something. You might have inadvertently had a hand in that; I don’t know.”

Aladdin paused, his brow furrowing a little as they began the laborious process of moving the heavy wall upstage. His brown eyes grew a little distant. “I was working on the crew already—I’m a junior, by the way—and, well…let’s just say he ended up joining me and the others instead. We all became friends a few weeks after that, and the rest is history.”

As they shuffled across the black-painted boards, Anna couldn’t help but feel that Aladdin was holding back a lot more than what he had just told her. Her aching arms distracted her enough from calling him out on it, but she made a note to corner Kristoff about it later on. Nope, he wouldn’t avoid it this time!

 _Although I wish I could avoid moving for the next 2 years…_ Anna thought to herself much later, after the walls had been taken apart by screw-drills and various wrenches—which she had wielded with manic glee, much to Mr. North’s delight and Kristoff’s horror—and the poor redhead had been exhausted enough to lie down on the front corner of the stage, staring up at the lights. The crew had gone off to find some food before they would start on the balcony, which was the last set piece remaining. Anna had elected to remain where she was, too tired to move even as her stomach rumbled a little.

_I’m starting to appreciate how the parent volunteers always provided food for the cast during rehearsal days…_

Her stomach rumbled again.

_Shut up, you._

Hopefully Kristoff or someone else would return soon with food. Lewis was the only other one in the auditorium right now, but he was checking things up in the tech booth, and unless there was a hidden food stash up there, she doubted he had anything she could eat.

_Rumble._

“I’m gonna die…” Anna groaned as she flung an arm over her eyes, her other hand coming to rest on her stomach. In doing so, she missed the sound of light footsteps approaching, and didn’t even notice when those very footsteps hesitantly stopped right beside her.

She did, however, hear the small cough to get her attention.

“Ugh…Kris, if that’s you, you better have some food or so help me, I’ll—“

The words jammed abruptly in her throat as Anna took her arm away to see, expecting to find her childhood best friend standing over her. Instead, ice-blue eyes gazed down at her, unreadable. It was like staring into a blizzard and attempting to focus on each snowflake; trying to find her way through the whiteout that was Elsa’s stare.

“Y-You look taller than before.”

_Abort! Abort the mission! I repeat, abort the mission! Oh my God, can’t I ever just say ‘Hello’ like a normal person?!_

For a moment, that blizzard stilled, snowflakes hovering in place, and Anna could see the faintest hint of amusement and a strange wistfulness in the techie’s gaze.

“Well…everyone looks taller when you’re lying down.”

 _“You look really tall from here."_

_“Everyone looks tall if you’re lying down, silly.”_

The whiteout resumed, and she couldn’t discern the secrets held in Elsa’s eyes anymore. But the careful cadence of her voice lingered in the redhead’s ears, and she couldn’t help but feel another sense of déjà vu, as if this had happened somewhere else, and that amusement hadn’t been held back at all.

…Deep inside, the little girl who knew of blue sweaters and snowmen smiled, patiently waiting for the rest of her to catch up.

“Here.” Elsa’s voice was flat as she tossed something over to the redhead, the object landing on her stomach and causing her to jerk from the surprise impact. “Your stomach was loud enough to wake the dead.”

It was a granola bar with chocolate chips in them.

Anna furrowed her brow in confusion as she sat up, inspecting the wrapped food with narrowed teal eyes before fixing that same gaze on the platinum blonde still standing nearby, arms wrapped around her waist and shoulders hunched almost to her ears.

“Um…thank you. I, uh…A-At least we’ll be on the same zombie apocalypse team…right?”

_There’d be no need. The dead would probably run screaming back to the afterlife with how horrible my social skills are when it comes to Elsa._

Elsa was silent for a moment, and Anna was afraid she had tested the taller girl’s patience in dealing with her awkwardness. Just as she was about to say something else she’d probably regret, the techie beat her to it, the words delivered in her usual curt and frosty manner.

“Tiana and Mr. Sebastian will be the ones bringing our food soon. 10 minutes, maximum.”

Teal eyes widened as the platinum blonde began to walk away to who-knows-where. The redhead immediately scrambled to her feet, hand tightly clutching the granola bar as she wobbled a little from the sudden vertigo. “W-Wait, Elsa! You can’t just…You can’t just do something nice and—“

“And what? You have said your thanks,” Elsa stated almost clinically as she continued on her way, with Anna hurrying to catch up to the girl’s increased pace. “I see no reason to continue.”

“Well sometimes we don’t _need_ a reason for things, you know?” Anna huffed as the techie slipped into the backroom. “But if it’s about earlier, I’m sorry if I pressed too hard. I just…I just wanted to be fr—“

“…There’s a reason for everything, Anna.”

Following after the swish of that platinum blonde braid, whatever retort Anna had in mind died down in her throat as her teal gaze raked over every inch of the backroom that she could see, her feet frozen on the spot. The lights were on, revealing buckets of paint, piles of wood, old set pieces, rolls of tarp, and miscellaneous equipment…

But no Elsa.

It was as if the taller girl had simply vanished.

 _Or she’s just too fast for you,_ Anna thought glumly as she kicked at a random washer near her feet, sending it sliding across the paint-flecked, sawdust-covered floor. The granola bar in her hand felt suddenly heavier, weighed down by the elusive techie’s confusing actions. She was a veritable Ice Queen, that was for sure, but her heart wasn’t quite as frozen as people would think, Anna knew. The redhead had caught a glimpse of it in the few seconds after the door…and now with the thing held tightly in her hand, wrapper crinkling noisily in her tightening grip.

The little voice at the back of her head grew a tiny bit louder at that moment.

“Elsa?” Anna called out tentatively, unable to shake the feeling that the platinum blonde was still somewhere close, and could hear every word. “Elsa, please…I’m sorry for pushing you. I’m just curious. I mean, Kristoff doesn’t talk about you much compared to the others, but…”

 _What am I doing? I’m just making a fool of myself, standing here and talking to the air. What if she really_ isn’t _here?_

“I-I’d also like to thank you for being his friend. He wasn’t…very good at making them when we were younger.” She swallowed hard, her palms growing sweatier. “Elsa, I just...I just want to be friends, is all.”

_There, I’ve said it._

“And I meant what I said earlier. I won’t give up; I’ll just try harder! Push me away all you like, but if Kristoff’s ever talked about me to you, then you should know that I’m pretty damn persistent.”

The silence that followed was horribly deafening.

Anna licked her suddenly dry lips to wet them, trying to ignore the chill that swept over her skin. She couldn’t explain how, but she just _knew_ that Elsa could still hear her. “B-But if I’m going too far, you should say so,” she continued. “And I’ll stop, I swear. I know that there are certain lines I should absolutely never cross, and I respect that. I’ve just…never met someone who’s given me a line that strong yet.”

Her nervous laugh pierced through the air, and she shifted anxiously on her feet, faintly aware of a distant ruckus somewhere else in the building. Probably Tiana and Mr. Sebastian arriving with the much-needed food.

“…I hope you won’t be the first to draw one that strong, but I have a feeling you have several ready. So just…say something. Please.”

Aside from the distant sounds of excited voices and doors being opened and shut, the backroom was much too quiet for her taste. So much so that Anna began second-guessing the feeling that told her Elsa was still within earshot… _somewhere_.

“…F-Forget it; this is stupid. I don’t even know if you’re actually _here_ —“

The redhead cut herself off at the sound of Kristoff calling for her back in the main part of the auditorium, out in the house. She turned to leave, but paused to take one last look around the backroom for any sign of the platinum blonde.

“Elsa?”

Her voice sounded familiarly small to her own ears.

…And still no answer.

Turning around with a heavy sigh, Anna stuffed the granola bar in her pocket for later, and headed out onto the stage. As she walked, she tried to stifle the sense of disappointment and failure with the fact that three times, the redhead had tried to get a decent conversation out of Elsa, and three times, the taller girl had denied her.

Three times.

“Anna? There you are, feisty pants! C’mon, Olaf and Charlotte are fighting over who you’d get to sit next to.”

_Strike three…you’re out._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still world-building, so please bear with me here. Also, I didn't even attempt Sebastian's accent.
> 
> Again, if you have any questions, feel free to voice them. Thanks to the 4 people who left a Kudos and the one person who Bookmarked - I'm sorry this gratitude is late.


	6. Some Things Don't Change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that's him.
> 
> Around Chapter 9 is when the summary comes into play and Anna's theatre escapades begin, since I'm still world-building here.

_Chapter 5 – Some Things Don't Change_

**-x-x-x-**

"… _some things are better left in the past.  
And true things are destined to repeat themselves."_

* * *

"Have you eaten yet?"

Elsa blinked out of her reverie, tilting her gaze down to see Kida standing on the steps and watching her expectantly in that oddly piercing way. The platinum blonde was sitting right below the tech booth, mostly hidden behind the row of seats in front of her, so that if anyone was just absently glancing that way, they wouldn't notice her.

Electric-blue eyes—almost the same shade as hers, but not quite, thank the gods—bore into her in a surprisingly maternal way, and she found herself anxiously drumming her fingers on her kneecaps as she looked away.

"…I snuck some, but I'm not that hungry right now."

"Nonsense," Kida admonished not unkindly, placing her hands on her hips, from what Elsa could see in her peripheral. "One does not simply feel 'not that hungry' when it comes to Tiana's cooking."

_Don't you see? I can't show my face right now._

"Is…Is that redhead with Olaf and the others?"

The words spilled out of her mouth before she could stop them, and she could only hope that nothing in her voice gave away what she was truly feeling. She cringed at her use of 'that redhead,' as if Anna was nothing more than some sort of—

"I understand that she is a new face, and not part of the crew…" Kida began carefully, "but Mr. North looks like he approves. He was joking with her when I left the table."

"Who is she, exactly?"

Elsa didn't mean to ask so quickly, risking a glance at Kida to assess the damage.

"…Why do you want to know?" A snowy brow arched itself, and the platinum blonde wondered—not for the first time—just how authentic it was.

And, just like the times before, her stomach churned a little at the thought. She had seen hair that white before— _as pure as snow_ —only  _once_  in her life, and with that particular case in mind, she doubted Kida's would be the real deal.

Because if it was…

"Olaf is my cousin, and Kristoff is one of my closest friends," Elsa answered calmly, her voice level in spite of the swirling storm inside, like she had once been told. Almost been trained in. "Shouldn't I have a right to know, in case this is all a clever façade?"

_Hypocrite._

"I find it most interesting," the snowy-haired techie began in that careful tone again, a tanned hand reaching up to idly fiddle with her crystal necklace, "how the both of you  _almost_  had the exact same thought."

… _What?_

"Word travels fast, as you know.  _Should_  know. And according to Lewis, she genuinely desires to become acquainted with Kristoff's friends. One could say she might even be as protective of him as he is of you." A smirk played on Kida's lips as Elsa swallowed the hard lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. The platinum blonde could only pray that she looked as calm and disinterested as she wanted to be.

"So tell me…what would you like to know, Ice Queen?"

Her fingertips tingled as Elsa averted her gaze from Kida's oddly invasive electric-blue stare. She swore the snowy-haired girl knew too much about her sometimes, despite their few conversations—as if with one careful look, she could discern a person's intents, moods, frustrations, worries…anything.

Asking was but a formality.

So with her heart thumping wildly in her chest, and skin prickling from the anticipation, Elsa met Kida's stare once more—this time, as regal and proud as the title the crew had given her.

"Everything."

* * *

"…Mind if I sit here?"

Elsa started a bit at the voice that suddenly sounded near her. Although, she shouldn't be too surprised, considering she had moved down to the first row of seats near the main walkway after her talk with Kida, settling right next to the steps. The snowy-haired techie had left shortly thereafter, informing her that everyone else would probably be done eating in ten minutes or so.

…Which was great, considering the amount of thinking she needed to do now.

Turning her head to the side, Elsa saw a familiar man wearing a tweed, dark gray jacket with patches on the elbows over his white dress shirt and black vest, patiently standing a couple of feet away. A red bowtie was fastened around his neck, which he fiddled absently with, giving her a smile that reached his warm brown eyes, peeking out from behind the faintly blue-tinted glasses perched on his nose.

Even without the standard 'professor look' she liked to tease him with, it would be hard to forget his shaggy, dark brown hair.

"Simon," Elsa greeted happily, a smile curling on her lips to match his. "You're here."

"Indeed, I am!" Simon chuckled as he sat down on the steps, smoothing out any wrinkles on his dark gray slacks. His gaze fell on the stage as he did so, where the balcony was still waiting to be dismantled once everyone else came back from eating. "I see that you guys are almost done. Will you be heading home right after?" he asked, the smile remaining on his face even as he turned his gaze back to her, brown eyes alight with mirth. "Or does Kristoff need help on the upcoming test?"

Her smile faded as she shook her head. "Probably tomorrow, when he'll panic over forgetting it, but…not today. I might just skip the remaining hour of set strike to go home now…Probably spend the rest of the day in the courtyard, or up in my room."

His own smile gave way to a concerned frown, brow furrowing. "What happened, Elsa?"

Perhaps what she loved the most about Simon was the fact that she had no need to hide anything from him. He rarely asked things like, "Are you okay?" or "Is something wrong?", simply getting right to the heart of the matter. He was almost like Arthur in that way.

"Anna is back in Arendelle," Elsa answered quietly, fiddling with the end of her braid. It felt strange to say the words out loud, to give voice to a hope that she had kept hidden away in her heart, and shared with only a select few. She could count them all on one hand, in fact.

"Anna…Anna…Now where have I heard that name before…?" Simon muttered, stroking his chin as his brow twitched a few times in thought, before his brown eyes suddenly widened in realization. "You mean…that girl from 8 years ago?  _That_  Anna?"

"It's her. I knew in my heart…I  _knew_ , the moment she introduced herself at the party, that it was her," Elsa said as her grip tightened on the flaxen strands, the memory of that night playing over in her mind. "She's still as warm, and kind as I remember. And she…she still wears her hair in twin braids. It suits her. Really well, actually."

The platinum blonde chuckled faintly, allowing herself the barest of smiles at the memory while Simon's managed to reach half of what it had first been.

"Go on, Elsa. Tell me more," he said gently, encouragingly, excitement filling his brown eyes.

"O-Okay…She and Kristoff are childhood best friends, but they kept in touch over the years. She apparently has an older sister named Amelia, who is well-known in the Navy for putting down pirates, but she's not coming back to them just yet. And her father moved them back to Arendelle because of a promotion of his," Elsa continued, biting her lip as the smile fell once more at the next item on her mental list.

"…Anna plans to audition for the musical next year, Simon. She wants to be in the cast, and according to Kida…she was pretty active in choir and the theatre arts back in Corona." She swallowed, hard, as she relayed the news. "I didn't peg her as the singing type, back when we first met. And she doesn't seem to remember me either, so…it couldn't have been about that."

_How well can she sing, I wonder…?_

Somehow, Simon's smile did not falter, though his eyes did soften, and she knew that he wanted to hug her. To draw her close like her father once did before the accident, and like Arthur did on occasion.

"Are you still following Arthur's words to the letter, regarding the crew?"

"Of course." The answer came immediately, and she briefly wondered why he even bothered to ask. It was concrete truth, written in stone.

Simon nodded, using both hands to fiddle with his red bowtie as he turned his gaze away to look at what was left of the set, clearly mulling the news over in his own mind. He hummed quietly under his breath; a light tune that Elsa didn't recognize, but wouldn't be surprised if he had composed it himself…or if it was just plain nonsense.

"What does your heart say?" Simon finally asked, the smile falling away to a more neutral line even as his brown eyes glimmered with something she couldn't quite place.

"M-My heart?" Elsa couldn't help but stutter.

"Yes, yes. You used to listen to it so much before. What is it telling you now? About Anna?"

_Don't let her go._

"I…"

_Protect her._

"Tell me…what do you  _want_  to do, Elsa?"

_Make her smile._

_Keep her safe._

_Make her laugh._

_It's for the best._

_Spring._

_She smells like spring._

A hundred thoughts swirled about in her mind, but her heart shouted only one.

With her fingertips beginning to tingle again, Elsa shook her head. Her arms came up to wrap around herself, shoulders hunching up to her ears as she directed her gaze to the auditorium's carpeted floor. "I can't, Simon." Her voice was barely more than a whisper as she faintly heard the sound of raucous laughter in the distance—the others would return soon.

"…You know I can't."

"Elsa, the circumstances—"

"Simon, please… _please_  don't make me choose between you and Arthur," Elsa pleaded, looking up at him as her arms tightened around herself. He visibly flinched at that, the brown pools of his eyes churning with a hint of regret as he wrapped his arms around his own waist, taking on the same defensive position as her. She never understood why, though.

"I'm…I'm sorry, Elsa. I didn't meant to make you think of it like that. You've already been through so much, and I wouldn't want to make you feel like you have to choose sides. At the risk of sounding clichéd…I just want what's best for you," Simon mumbled, his eyebrows scrunching together worriedly. "I want you to be happy. To have what my…my daughter couldn't. In some ways, she was like you—obedient and confused, and…" He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing with the motion as regret covered every inch of his gaze, more than she thought was possible.

"The point is, she eventually snapped…and to say things weren't pretty would be a gross understatement. I don't want the same thing to happen to you. And…it wasn't just her; I had to witness one of my…my granddaughters go through the same process."

He rarely made mention of his elusive daughter, and Elsa knew by now not to ask. What she  _did_  know was that her happiness must be very important to him if he decided to bring her up.

…More so with a granddaughter he had never mentioned before until now.

 _I can't do this,_  she realized.  _I can't do this right now. I can't be here. I have to…I have to—_

"What I want right now…is to go home, Simon," Elsa said quietly as footsteps approached the doors to the auditorium, turning away from his imploring gaze. Her skin began to prickle. "Can you…give me some space? At least for a few days? I can't think about this around you without feeling bad…Or Arthur, for that matter."

"…So he doesn't know."

"No, and…please, not right now. You know why I can't, and…and I'm  _scared_ , Simon. You know I am."

She didn't need to see to know that his gaze had softened.

"While I can't fight your own fears for you, Elsa, remember that I'm here if you need me for everything else. But yes, space…space is good sometimes. Healthy, even. Just not too much, lest it lead to an  _un_ healthy isolation, mind you, but…I'll try."

The platinum blonde managed a small smile at his attempt to lighten the mood, glancing at him just in time to see him push his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, a look of uncertainty crossing his face.

"Gosh, you're so clingy, Simon."

"The clingiest," he said with a smile of his own, the tension easing out of his shoulders as he unwrapped his arms from his waist. His warm brown eyes had lost most of their regret, leaving only one. And Elsa knew, as he abruptly stood up and dusted the imaginary dirt off his dark gray slacks, that in another time, in another world where their circumstances were different, he would have hugged her to make a point.

And Elsa would have hugged him back, wholeheartedly.

* * *

Had Anna actually gotten to  _know_  Elsa—which the platinum blonde seemed determined to stop from happening—perhaps she might have been able to share in Kristoff's confusion over her early departure. Sadly, that was not the case, despite the granola bar stashed away in her bag to keep from getting crushed in the pocket of her jeans every time she moved. It was very likely that the redhead was reading too much into the simple gesture from the techie, and under normal circumstances, she would've eaten the granola bar a long time ago.

But this wasn't normal. This was  _Elsa_.

"Well, if you want my two cents on how to succeed, then I suggest you listen up," Tiana stated after another five minutes of Anna's word-vomit. The rest of the crew was busy working on sweeping the stage and putting away the tools, leaving Tiana and her to their own devices. Charlotte had gone off to find where Mr. Sebastian had wandered off to, and Jane was meeting with Mr. North.

"Sorry. I'm sorry. You were saying?" Anna flashed her the brightest smile she could.

The dark-skinned girl shook her head in mock dismay, a smile playing on her lips. "Experience has taught me that the quickest way to even the most stubborn of people's good graces…is through their stomach."

"You mean like…punching them in the gut?" Anna asked, confused.  _I mean…you're talking about 'through their stomach.' That doesn't sound good. And gross._

Tiana rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms. "No, Anna. Not  _literally_  through their stomach. You know, the popular saying: 'the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach'? Although, in this case it's a girl and—"

"Tiana, you  _know_  I'm bad at metaphors!" the redhead exclaimed, pulling at her twin braids in exasperation.

"Anna, it's…" The taller girl reached up to pinch the bridge of her own nose, sighing. "Nevermind. Look, sweetie…if you want to break the ice with Elsa and try to  _at least_  be on casual speaking terms with her, I suggest bakin' her somethin' nice. It worked for me."

Tiana's last words unintentionally bit into Anna, startling her a little with the envy that briefly surged inside at the mention of how she somehow got the techie to accept her.

"Wait…you're  _friends_  with her?!" It was a miracle she managed to keep her voice down to a whisper-shout instead of shrieking the accusation for all to hear.

"No, we're not  _friends_. There's a difference, and it seems important to her to make that distinction. But I  _do_  speak to her on occasion, and vice versa," the dark-skinned girl explained carefully, looking amused at the redhead helplessly flailing her hands around, teal eyes wide in disbelief.

"What the—But she—And Olaf said—And…And… _HOW?_ "

"Seems like everyone just likes my cooking, I guess," Tiana supplied with an equally-helpless shrug.

_Bullshit!_

"Anna, language!"

"I don't even care if I said it out loud, just…please, please,  **please** , can you help me out here? You're the best cook I know!" Anna begged, clasping her hands together and mustering up the best puppy-eyes look she had. Her mother was especially immune to it, and hopefully a mother hen like Tiana would—

"I'm sorry, but something like this needs to come from the heart. You can't shortcut your way through this one, Anna."

"It's not a shortcut if you supervise me!" the redhead persisted, smiling up at the taller girl. "I won't let you do  _all_  of the work, just…you know, enough to keep it from being a health hazard!"

" _A health haza_ —Can't your own mama help you out?" Tiana asked, quirking a dark eyebrow, though Anna could see that her resolve was starting to waver.

"But Tiaaaaaannnnnaaaa…your cooking is waaaaaaaay better than hers by a mile! I wanna bake something that'll make up for my previous attempts, so it's gotta be amazing! And plus, you  _know_  what Elsa likes!" Anna pointed out defensively, the smiling giving way to a petulant pout as she crossed her arms.

The taller girl rolled her eyes. "Just 'cause she eats my food doesn't mean I know what she likes." Those same eyes narrowed at hers, brown meeting teal. "But I'm also  _not_  gonna let you somehow end up giving the poor girl food poisoning."

Anna resisted the urge to cheer outwardly, settling instead for the most grateful smile she could muster.  _That's right, let go of your last doubts, Tiana…_  "Really? You'll supervise me?"

"I'll do you one better: I'll actually  _teach_  you the recipe so you can make it without me if you decide to do it again," Tiana offered, though it sounded more like a groan, as if she realized she might regret it once they actually started…which could be very likely if Rapunzel's reactions to Anna's past baking attempts were of any indication.

The redhead settled for cheering silently, hopping in place before throwing her arms around Tiana in brief—but tight—hug. "Thank you  _soooo_  much for this, Tiana!" she whisper-shouted, pulse racing with excitement as she pulled away.

"Thank God I've already had practice, dealing with Lottie all these years…"

"Oh hush, Tia. You make it sound like it's a bad thing," the Southern blonde in question scoffed as she nearly skipped her way over to them from the door. Mr. Sebastian and a couple other teachers had entered the auditorium as well, marveling at the quick disappearance of the set.

"So…" Tiana prompted with a kind smile as she crossed her arms, "how did your talk with Mr. Sebastian go?"

"The man was in the middle of a teacher meetin' or somethin', so I had to wait 'til they were done," Charlotte said as she gestured exasperatedly with her hands, pouting. "And even then, I tried to get my early audition in, but Mr. North suddenly showed up outta nowhere! Almost like he  _knew_  what I was tryin' to do, and he looked so darn smug about it!" Her shoulders drooped briefly at the conclusion of her tale, but the Southern blonde quickly perked up again, eyes bright. "Can you make me that pie now, Tia? It'll make me  _oh so happy_  if you do!"

"Right  _now?_ " Anna couldn't help but snort, earning a pout from her friend. "As good as Tiana is, I doubt she'd be able to whip up something like that in the auditorium."

"Oh, you  _know_  what I mean!"

Tiana laughed, tugging her best friend closer so they could link arms. "Why don't you come with us back to my house, Anna? That way, I can make Lottie her pie and help you out with your plan, too."

The Southern blonde perked up at that like a bloodhound finding a scent. "What plan? Can I be a part of it? I gotta be included in these things, Tia!"

Anna giggled at her friend's antics as Tiana explained the new plan, given how the set strike had been a total bust.  _Or maybe not-so-total bust…_ the redhead mused, her mind flashing to the granola bar still tucked away in her backpack. She had a good feeling about this new plan, though—even so-called 'Ice Queens' had to eat, and Anna believed that everyone at least had  _some_  appreciation for food…

* * *

In hindsight, she probably should've asked Kristoff where Elsa would usually be in the mornings. Or rather, where her locker was located.

 _Actually, I keep putting off talking to him about a lot of stuff lately, but that's understandable with how busy he was with crew,_  Anna thought as she stalked down the halls with her plastic Tupperware full of double chocolate chip cookies in hand, eyes carefully peeled for any sign of Elsa.  _Even so, I should've_ at least  _talked to him about_ this—

"Just gonna keep ignoring us, Ice Queen?" a voice suddenly reached her ears when she passed one of the hallways located near the library.

"More like  _Ice Bitch_."

 _Okay, sure she's an Ice Queen, but now that's just so damn_ rude!

Anna saw red as she abruptly turned down the hallway, storming furiously towards a couple of random boys flanking a certain platinum blonde at her locker. They raised their heads as she approached, eyes widening at the spitfire heading their way. " _Hey!_  Back off, assholes!" Anna snapped, nearly jabbing one of them in the chest with her finger. "She doesn't want to talk to you, so leave her alone!"

"Whatcha gonna do about it, short stuff?" the other boy sneered, not at all intimidated by her fury. "Think you're tough, eh?"

_Fuck this._

She didn't want to pull this card, but with such rude people harassing a defenseless student—who was  _also_  the cousin of one of the sweetest people she knew—Anna  _couldn't_  just stand by. "Listen up,  _pal_ ," the redhead growled, whirling about to face him so fast, the other boy almost got hit with her braids. "I've taken martial arts lessons from my sister, and while I'm not as good as her, I know enough to easily kick your sorry ass."

"Oh, really? Who's your sister, then? Some pretty-faced doll who thinks she can fight?" he taunted, leaning over her as if to assert the height difference between them.

"For your information, she's Captain Amelia Voll.  _The_  most decorated soldier currently in the Navy, known as 'Pirate Hunter Voll,' 'Agile Amelia,' and many other accolades besides," Anna declared, pride seeping into her strong voice despite the inadequacy she still felt around her older sibling.

Amelia was a badass; there was no denying that.

"So I'm damn well sure you've heard of her," she finished, grinning wickedly as the boy blanched at the news, taking a couple steps back.

His friend quickly shuffled over to stand beside him, grabbing at his arm. "It's not worth it, man. That's some serious shit," Anna heard him mumble weakly as he tugged him away. Both boys scampered off, metaphorical tails between their legs, and Anna knew they would not be bothering her  _or_  Elsa anytime soon.  _If ever,_  she thought, sighing audibly in relief at not having to bloody her knuckles before first period could even start.

"Geez, what a way to start the morning…Does this happen often in Arendelle?" Anna asked, finally turning to address the person she had been looking all over for. Elsa's hair was pulled back into a neater bun this time, with her bangs sweeping across her forehead, and if Anna hadn't seen her yesterday, she probably wouldn't have recognized the girl from afar. It was a wonder what letting down your hair could do… _And a wardrobe change to techie black or sweatpants,_  she thought, noting Elsa's fashionable—albeit a little conservative—style.

"Elsa?" Anna prompted when her question remained unanswered, eyebrows scrunching together worriedly.  _Was the bullying that bad? Was it worse before I arrived?_

Those ice-blue eyes were fixed away from her own, hands tightly gripping the strap of a white bag subtly patterned with light blue snowflakes. But at the sound of her worried voice, that beautiful shade of blue swept over to meet her simple teal. Elsa worried her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment, regal brow furrowed in indecision.

"…Thank you, Anna," the taller girl said at last, voice soft and melodic to her ears despite the undercurrent of tension. "This was just the first time for those two, but I would've ignored them. Usually it's—" Elsa abruptly stopped, as if realizing she was speaking more than necessary, and Anna forced herself not to say anything, waiting for the other girl to continue instead of blurting out something that would make her defensive—well, even more so—again.

_Nope, not like last time._

She idly fiddled with the Tupperware as she waited, accidentally shifting a couple cookies around, and the sound drew Elsa's attention. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight, as if noticing it for the first time, and the blizzard of her gaze stilled just like the other day, allowing Anna a glimpse of her genuine surprise.

And more than a hint of eagerness.

The redhead offered a shy smile as she tucked a nonexistent strand of hair behind her ear with her free hand. It was now or never… "Here. I made this for you," Anna said as she held out the plastic container of cookies, trying not to tremble from the sudden rush of nervousness over how Elsa would react. "I…I hope you like chocolate. 'Cause I  _love_  chocolate, and I mean, who doesn't, right? A-Anyway, just…think of this as an apology if I upset you back at set strike."

_Can we be friends, too?_

"A-And if I didn't, then…can we be friends?"

Elsa was silent for the longest moment, her eyes surprisingly not reverting back to their usual unreadable state. The blizzard in her eyes remained stilled, snowflakes suspended and revealing probably just the tip of the emotional iceberg as curiosity, fear, hope, and forced indifference battled across that tundra.

Sometimes Anna surprised herself with her metaphors despite usually fumbling with them…or maybe it was just with Elsa. She gave herself a quick, mental pat on the back, and nearly missed it when Elsa carefully accepted the cookie-filled Tupperware, holding it close to her body like a shield.

_Anxious behavior aside, this is…a good sign, right?_

"Anna…we can't."

 _Or maybe not so good._  "Why?" the redhead asked in a smaller voice than she would have liked, already familiar with the disappointment and hurt that seemed to press down on her shoulders around Elsa. "Why can't we be friends? Is it…a cast vs. crew rivalry thing? I thought Kristoff was the only one who bought into that silly idea! A-And it's not like I'm a part of the cast."

… _Yet._

Elsa shook her head, the flaxen strands of her bangs swishing in a way that made Anna's heart seize with appreciative jealousy from turning something so simple into something elegant. Again, she was struck by how the blonde could be into something as labor-intensive, grimy, and frankly unflattering—in terms of dress—as the tech crew. With Elsa's voice and looks, she seemed more suited for the stage, not hidden away in the shadows, her beauty revealed only one show out of eight.

"There will always be divas," Elsa began carefully, surprising Anna by  _actually_  answering such a direct question instead of cutting things off. Those eyes averted from hers, shifting down to look at the cookies cradled in her hands. "But no…it's not because of that. We just can't be  _friends_ , Anna."

There was a strange inflection on the word, and ice-blue flicked up to search hers, the blizzard stilling further to reveal a sort of plea in them. A plea to understand.

But Elsa was being so cryptic right now, and Anna  _didn't_  understand.

"Why? Why can't…Oh my gosh! It's  _me_ , isn't it? You just don't like me."

"What? No!" That was the loudest Anna had ever heard from Elsa, brow furrowing at the redhead's theory as she frowned, taking a step back to almost collide with a locker. "It's not  _you_ , it's just…"

_Actually, now that I think about it, this is the longest conversation I've had with her so far…_

"I only feel comfortable around the crew," Elsa's quiet voice shook her out of her thoughts, "I feel…safer around them. It's easier with them."

"'Easier'?" Anna echoed, a multitude of possibilities running through her mind. Social anxiety was the first and foremost, which brought a pang to her heart. Anxiety was by no means something easy to deal with, and if anything, it merely strengthened her resolve to grow closer with Elsa—maybe even help and offer her support.

And just like that, Lewis' words from the other day suddenly made sense.

"Well…you can feel safe around me, I promise," Anna vowed, smiling hesitantly, unsure of what would happen next. On the one hand, Elsa looked just about ready to bolt now…but on the other, the techie's eyes were inexplicably fixed on hers, icy pools swimming with incredulity.

Until they hardened, a frown forming on the taller girl's lips.

"Even so, we can't. Please understand that, Anna."

"But you accepted my cookies!" the redhead insisted, a similar frown working its way onto her own face.

"I did. And I can tell you put a lot of work into them," Elsa said, the terseness of her voice indicating that their conversation would be ending very soon. The hallways were already beginning to flood with more students, and the platinum blonde had begun fiddling with the strap of her bag again as she looked away.

"I may be an Ice Queen, but I'm not so cruel as to turn down homemade food."

Perhaps in another time, in another situation wholly different from this one, Anna might have laughed at how amusing that sounded. Perhaps Elsa might have said it in a lighter tone, soft smile on her lips and blue eyes twinkling mischievously. But as it were, Anna couldn't even enjoy the potential behind her words when spoken so seriously, so…

… _Apologetically?_

"I have to go," Elsa's voice cut through her thoughts once more, cold and clear before softening ever so slightly. "And…thank you, again."

The techie turned to leave, and was already a couple feet away before Anna's mouth finally decided to work. "Wait, Elsa!"

And surprisingly, she did, glancing over her shoulder with that infuriatingly impassive expression.

"I-I just…Your voice! Has…Has anyone ever told you that your voice sounds really pretty?" Anna stammered out, still reeling from the shock of Elsa  _actually_  stopping for her this time. "Like…you could be a singer, with a voice like that. Try the cast. If you wanted. I'm not saying you should leave the crew and 'betray' them or anything, just…it has that quality, y'know? And you should…know."

She cringed at her lame finish, fiddling nervously with the hem of her shirt just to  _do_  something while Elsa merely stared at her with an emotion she couldn't quite place, those icy pools churning from an unseen tempest.

They looked…very familiar, actually. Her voice, too.

 _And…I can't help but feel like I've said this before._  Anna blinked in surprise at the thoughts running through her head, furrowing her brow slightly as she pondered on it some more. Unfortunately for Anna—and unbeknownst to her, as well—the memory was buried deep behind eight years' worth of others, and the little girl who remembered the promise made that day could only smile and hope, waiting for it to finally happen.

"…I have been told that, yes," Elsa answered softly, barely audible over the increasing noise of students arriving at the school. "But…I can't. It wouldn't be a good idea."

 _Always "I can't" with this girl! Yeesh!_  Anna thought with an inward scowl. "Why not? There's no harm in—"

"I have to go," Elsa cut her off coldly, and Anna swore she could feel goosebumps along her skin at the frostiness of the techie's voice. She turned back around, Tupperware of cookies in one hand, cradled close to her, and the other gripping her bag so tightly, her knuckles stood out on her alabaster skin.

"Goodbye, Anna."

…At least Elsa had the decency to leave her  _properly_  this time.


End file.
